


To Bridge This Gap Between Us

by Siamesepolyporegoat



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Angst, Barista Eren Yeager, Bottom Eren, Eventual Smut, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, M/M, Self-Harm, Slow Burn, Strangers to Friends, Suicidal Thoughts, Suicide Attempt, Top Levi, kind of
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-26
Updated: 2019-06-29
Packaged: 2019-07-02 14:46:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 45
Words: 116,356
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15798711
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Siamesepolyporegoat/pseuds/Siamesepolyporegoat
Summary: It’s been two days and the coffee machine is still broken. Levi will definitely go crazy if he has to go through another workday without a drop of caffeine. But maybe it isn’t such a bad thing after all when the coffee shop across the street has one quite a charming barista with quite a few secrets.Alternative title: "Levi needs coffee and Eren a hug"





	1. Coffee Beans And Ocean Eyes

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, everyone! I'm bringing people another Riren fic! Probably going to regret it later when I'm trying to update all the millions (or like idk...ten?) of fics I have.
> 
> I have to just say that I already have 10 chapters ready for this...I'm not sure when I'll be updating but probably quite soon because I'm impatient af and want to share this with the world.
> 
> A few things about this fic:  
> Look at the tags. There might be some stuff that triggers people and I usually don't warn about stuff on the beginning of a chapter but I will tag everything that will be there as I write and update so keep an eye on those. (If you ever notice that some important tag is missing, please, tell me!)  
> Levi is some sort of business man/executive or something in this story. I'm not quite sure. Something like that. So far in my writings it hasn't been in such a important part but who knows what will happen in the future.  
> Also I'm going to be using "they/them" as a pronoun for Hanji (and I will write their name as Hanji and not Hange).  
> I never name the country that they're in but since I use euros it's some imaginary European country. I based a lot of things around Finland (my homeland) because it's familiar to me so some things might be weird to other people, I guess? But I hope it isn't distracting or anything.  
> The title is going to make more sense in like...the next chapter? It has bit of a pun in it.  
> EDIT: I only noticed after re-reading this that I used present tense in this one while the rest of the story is going to be in past tense. I don't know why I have done it like that. I tried to correct it but it started so sound weird so I kept it like this. I hope you don't mind...
> 
> Okay, but I've talked enough! Just enjoy!

Two days. It’s been two fucking long-ass days since the coffee machine in the company's break room broke-  _ was broken _ by an idiot called Oluo.  _ And no one has yet to either fix or replace it! _

 

Levi feels like he’s going crazy. He’s used to drinking  _ at least _ two cups of coffee during work hours but for  _ two fucking days _ he has only had some at home before and after work. And if he’s going to be working from early morning until dark, he needs his caffeine to stay awake and focused.

 

That's why when the lunch break starts, he makes sure he has his phone and wallet before heading for the elevator.

 

There's a small, dingy coffee shop across the street from the company Levi works at. And when Levi says dingy, he’s being polite.

 

From outside it looks like it’s falling apart and possibly rotting and Levi almost turns back around at the sight. It looks worse than he remembered. But he reminds himself that it's either coffee from here or none at all. As much as he dislikes the first option, the second he probably wouldn't be able to handle.

 

So he walks across the street into the coffee shop, the bell on top of the door chiming and announcing a new customer. He's pleasantly surprised to see that the inside of the coffee shop looks...almost  _ homey _ . Levi, though, doesn't pay the decor all that much attention. He’s here only to satisfy his caffeine addiction.

 

He walks up to the counter, seeing the barista preparing someone else's coffee before he passes it to the person waiting on the side and then turns to Levi.

 

“Hello, sir. What can I get for you?”, the barista asks, a polite smile on his face. He has chocolate-colored hair and ocean green eyes. Levi finds himself briefly admiring those bright eyes.

 

“One black coffee", he answers, the barista writing it down on a small notepad.

 

“Anything else?”

 

“No, thanks”, Levi says. The cakes and pastries on the side look  _ delicious _ even though he usually dislikes anything too sweet. However, he has his lunch waiting for him back at the company.

 

“Will you drink here or take it with you?”

 

“I will take it with me.”

 

“That will be 40 cents”, the barista says and Levi is almost sure he heard wrong. Just 40 cents seems a little cheap but he should've expected that based on the outside.

 

He pays for it and steps to the side where the barista indicates that he waits at. It doesn’t take long for the brunet to get his coffee ready as he soon enough gives Levi the warm cardboard cup.

 

“Thank you”, the short male says as he takes the cup with a small nod.

 

“You’re welcome. I hope you enjoy. Be sure to come by again”, the barista says politely with a small smile, but Levi can tell that the smile is hollow; fake, with no real feeling behind it.

 

However, he doesn’t stay to question the young man as he walks out soon enough and heads back towards the company building. It’s not his problem. A lot of people like that work in the shop and restaurant business. People that are too bored with the same routine over and over again. He doesn’t blame them for it. Since he’s the same except that he doesn’t even hide the fact that he’s tired and bored with his work.

 

Levi soon reaches the break room. It doesn’t have all that many people, maybe a little over ten, but it still feels too crowded for him. He goes to the fridge and takes out his lunch. It’s just some bland, store-bought lasagna but it’s all he can get since he barely ever has time to make his meals from scratch. But he’s used to it. He’s done this for  _ years. _

 

Though, he doesn’t  _ hate _ his job. He makes more money than most people and there are moments that he feels proud of his work. It’s just so monotonous.

 

Wake up. Breakfast. Work. Lunch. Work. Coffee break. Meeting. Work. Home. Work. Dinner. Work. Sleep. And the circle starts again the next day.

 

But today seems a bit different though. Maybe it's because yesterday was a mess but today seems so….calm?

 

As Levi sips at his coffee while waiting for the microwave to finish warming up his meal, he notices that the coffee tastes different. It’s smoother and richer in flavour than the coffee he usually has at work or even at home. Maybe it's just his imagination or the fact that he was starved for caffeine but at the moment he doesn't really care either way. Though, he makes a note to visit the small coffee shop tomorrow as well.


	2. Bridges And A Late Dinner

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, everyone! I present to you people another chapter! This time it's longer than the last one. And I mean a lot longer. Like three times longer than the first chapter. Anyway, enjoy~

Levi was walking home from work. It was way past eight in the evening and he was dead-tired. One of his  _ indirect _ subordinates had fucked up and  _ he  _ had to deal with the mess. The fucker wasn't really even under him in the first place. He was from some small branch company and was brought to help out but only made everything worse.

 

He ran a hand through his black hair as he walked in the cool air. The winter was slowly starting to creep in and he sure as hell wasn’t looking forward to the piles of snow to obstruct the roads and the freezing cold.

 

The streets were quiet, with only the occasional car going past him. Levi never understood why such a big and influential company was in such a small city _. _ But it was Erwin’s idea. There’s nothing he could do about it. Besides, it still worked weirdly enough so it wasn’t like he was complaining.

 

His thought process was interrupted as he noticed something in his peripheral vision. He was crossing a bridge; an old light blue one, rust showing where the paint has peeled off.

 

But that wasn't what drew his attention. It was the young man sitting on the railing, smoking a cigarette with a bottle of cheap whiskey. On closer scrutiny he noticed that the brat looked oddly familiar. Where had he-

 

_ Oh, right! The barista from that coffee shop. _

 

It didn't take a genius to guess what was going through the boy’s head, sitting there on a bridge with a dull expression and alcohol. Levi could just ignore him and pretend he saw nothing. He sees and hears of suicide victims on the news all the time. He had no ties to this young man. It shouldn't have mattered if the boy became just another static or news.

 

That's why he was surprised to find himself leaning on the railing next to the brunet and opening his mouth before he could stop it.

 

“How the fuck are you not cold?”, Levi asked. The other  _ was _ dressed really lightly considering the weather. He was wearing a plain white t-shirt, ripped black jeans, dark green worn out converses and black sweatbands on both wrists.

 

The boy flinched and turned to look at him with wide, startled eyes. It took a while for him to process what the older man had said, before his brows furrowed in a look that said  _ ‘can’t you see what I’m doing?’ _

 

They just stood there in silence for a while. Levi looked impassively to the river that ran underneath them but he could _ feel _ the brat’s confused gaze on him.

 

“Why does it matter?”, the brunet answered after what seemed like an eternity.

 

Levi shrugged but didn't otherwise say anything like he didn't really give a shit what happened to the young man. He actually didn't, but something told him he would regret leaving the other alone right now. Besides he had already opened his mouth so he was too involved to just leave.

 

Levi scrunched up his nose as the wind turned and the cigarette smoke blew towards him. He could never understand smoking. It smelled horrible and the stench stuck to your clothing and breath.

 

The brunet noticed his discomfort and took one final lungful of smoke before extinguishing the cigarette on the railing and dropping it into the river. He apparently noticed that Levi was going to stay there and decided to be mindful.

 

Another silence ensued, the only sound being the running water and their soft breathing. Levi was fine with the silence but it seemed to unnerve other as he uncorked the bottle and took a swig, grimacing afterwards.

 

“If you were planning on making it your last drink, you should’ve at least bought good fucking whiskey and not that cheap shit", the older man said as he watched the younger pause while corking the bottle to look at Levi with surprise.

 

“Maybe", the barista said and Levi was sure he saw a small smile on his lips before the brunet turned his face away to look at the old houses on the other side of the bridge like they were interesting to look at.

 

They fell into another silence but this time the young man didn't seem to mind it if the relaxation of his shoulders was any indicator.

 

“Why did you stop to talk to me? You don’t even know me and it doesn't sound like you're actually interested”, the boy asked as he looked at the ominously dark water.

 

Levi shrugged. He actually didn’t know why he stopped so he just said the first thing that came to mind.

 

“I was planning on getting coffee from your coffee shop tomorrow.” Not exactly a lie. He was indeed planning on visiting again.

 

The brunet turned to blink at the other in a mix of confusion and surprise as he regarded the man, before bursting into hearty laughter. Levi raised a bemused brow at him.

 

“S-sorry, i-it’s just not what I expected!”, the boy explained, wiping at his eyes, as he tried to calm down his sudden burst of laughter.

 

“What  _ did _ you expect then?”, the black haired man asked as he looked the boy up and down as if he would get the answer that way.

 

“I don’t really know myself”, the brunet said, scratching the back of his head awkwardly as the last few chuckles left him. “Maybe you don’t want to see someone kill themselves? I’m too young to die? Or something?”

 

“I’m not the type of person to give a shit about people I don't know. If you want to die, who am I to stop you? It’s your freedom to decide what you do with your life”, Levi said nonchalantly with a shrug.

 

“But what if it isn't?”, the young man murmured under his breath.

 

“Hmm? What did you say?”, Levi asked as he turned to look at the taller male.

 

“Oh, it's nothing! Just thinking aloud! Don't worry!”, the brunet said overly cheerfully. Anyone could see how fake the smile on his lips was. “Oh, right. What's your name?”

 

It was an obvious change of subject but Levi didn't really care either way. It wasn't his business.

 

“Levi Ackerman”, Levi answered curtly. He didn't bother asking for the other’s name since he had a feeling the other would tell him whether he wanted or not.

 

“I’m Eren Yeager", the boy, Eren, introduced as he offered his hand to the older man. “Nice to meet you, Mr. Ackerman.”

 

“Just Levi is fine, brat", the black haired male said as he returned the handshake. “Only overly arrogant fuckheads at work call me ‘Mr. Ackerman’ and I doubt you want me to associate you with them.”

 

“Okay,  _ Levi _ , but my name isn't brat", Eren said with a frown.

 

“You look pretty bratty to me”, Levi said, his face impassive but there was some well hidden playfulness in his eyes. Was it the boy’s youthful aura that brought that up in him?

 

“Well,  _ you _ look pretty short to me", Eren retorted arrogantly but soon shrunk back as the older man gave him a bone-chilling glare. Okay, so Levi was one of those guys you  _ do not _ fuck with. That was good to know.

 

“Oh, you said that you were going to come to my coffee shop tomorrow  _ ‘again'?  _ So you’ve been there before?”, Eren said in an obvious attempt to change the subject  _ again _ in order to distract the older from glaring him into the ground.

 

Levi raised a bemused brow. “You don't remember? I was there today?”, he said. He was pretty fucking sure that the coffee shop isn't popular enough for the brunet to forget a customer from just a few hours ago.

 

“Oh…” Levi watched as Eren’s face slowly turned red as he smiled sheepishly. “I-I’m sorry. I was tired so I was mostly working on autopilot. But I hope you enjoyed the coffee though!”, Eren added quickly as an afterthought.

 

“I did actually”, Levi answered with a chuckle that even surprised him.

 

“That's good", the boy hummed as he tried to contain the happy grin that threatened to take over his face. Levi found his eyes glued to the young man’s face. He was…. _ beautiful. _

 

The older soon snapped out of his thoughts as he recalled what the other had said just a while ago.

 

“ _ Your  _ coffee shop?”

 

“Huh?”

 

“You said just a little while ago that it was  _ your  _ coffee shop?”, he clarified. “If I remember correctly, the name was  _ Carla’s  _ Coffee?”

 

“Oh, ah, yeah”, Eren answered hesitantly. “My mother was the previous owner but she...passed away. So I inherited it.”

 

Levi noticed Eren’s fingers tighten into the fabric of his shirt while his face looked like he was holding back tears. Without thinking, Levi placed his hand on Eren’s.

 

The brunet was surprised when he noticed the pale hand over his slightly darker one. However, he didn't pull away. Instead, he let out a soft, slightly choked chuckle as the tears started to fall from his eyes.

 

“I t-thought you weren’t the type of p-person to comfort a stranger?”, Eren teased, stammering and sobbing as he brought his free hand to wipe away his tears in vain as more kept pouring out like a dam had been broken.

 

“You’re right, I’m not that kind of person", the black haired man deadpanned before letting out the tiniest smile as he turned to look at the other. “But you're not really just any stranger, are you? You're Eren Yeager, the young owner of Carla’s Coffee.” He glanced at the bottle next to Eren before adding: “With a horrible taste.”

 

“Pfft-", Eren burst out into loud laughter, the sound echoing off the bridge in the silence. Levi found that he quite liked the sound as his lips curled into a smile and he couldn’t help himself as he let out a small chuckle.

 

At the end of it, Eren was wiping fresh tears away again, but this time from too much laughter, as he tried to catch his breath. He noticed Levi’s silver eyes on his face and he turned to him with a bright smile.

 

“Thank you, Levi. I feel so much better.”

 

It took Levi a moment to register the words as he was busy taking in every detail of the other’s face. How his ocean green eyes were sparkling, the skin next to them crinkled in happiness, his smooth tanned skin glowing with the last rays of sunlight and his smile bright and toothy. He looked absolutely  _ beautiful. _

 

“Well, if you feel better get down and let’s go", he said when he snapped out of his thoughts and turned to walk away.

 

“Eh? Ah, wait!”, Eren shouted after him as he swiftly jumped down from the railing and ran after the shorter man. He walked quite fast for someone with such short legs. “Where are we going?”, he asked once he caught up.

 

“We’re going to get dinner”, Levi said as if it was obvious before looking at his watch. “Though, it’s a bit late.”

 

“Dinner? But I don't have any money…”, Eren mumbled as stopped in his tracks.

 

“Did you really use all of your money to buy that bottle of shit?”, Levi asked as he also stopped and turned back to the young man. Eren didn't even need to answer; the sheepish look on his face said it all. “Seriously, brat?”

 

“Mock me all you want. I thought that since it would be the last time, why not just spend it all on a bottle?”, Eren explained, a scowl on his face.

 

Levi sighed as he rubbed his temples. Why did he get himself involved with this kid again?

 

“Are you even old enough to drink yet?”, he asked. “You’re like, what, 15?”

 

“Just so you know, I’m 19. So yes, I am old enough to drink", the brunet snapped, irritated by the question. “And how old are you?”, he asked as an afterthought.

 

“34”, Levi answered curtly.

 

“Thirty-  _ What!? _ ”, Eren asked, flabbergasted, as he stared at the other with wide eyes.

 

“What?”, the older asked with a frown and a raised eyebrow.

 

“No, I mean- like...umm...you look  _ younger _ . I thought you were like 28 or something", the tall boy explained, obviously amazed as he looked the other up and down. “But  _ damn _ you look good though.”

 

Levi raised an amused eyebrow at the brunet as he let out a soft chuckle. “Oh, thank you. You don’t look half bad yourself.”

 

It was worth it to see Eren’s tanned skin slowly turn crimson as he realized what he had said and what Levi had answered.

 

“I-I- No, I d-didn't- I mean I just-", Eren stammered, flailing his arms around as his face burned.

 

Levi let out a short laugh at the other’s amusing display of distress, which caused the brunet to still and look at the shorter with his big, green eyes.

 

“Okay, brat, let’s go. I’m hungry", the older man said as he turned around and continued towards their target. “Oh, and by the way, I was going to treat either way so don't worry about the money.”

 

It took the brunet a while to process what Levi said but he soon snapped to attention before the other was too far away and ran to catch up.

 

“I will definitely pay you back", Eren insisted.

 

“Don't bother. I have more than enough money to spend on some brat”, Levi countered.

 

The first restaurant that was still open was pizzeria called Pizza 24/7 so Levi decided that was good enough. Brats like pizza, right?

 

When they entered, they were assaulted by the smell of fresh, delicious pizza which embarrassingly made Eren’s stomach growl. His face was red again and he was holding his stomach with averted eyes when Levi turned to look at him.

 

Before Levi could tease him about it, the cashier emerged from the back, alerted by the bell on top of the door.

 

“Good evening. What would you like?”, she asked polite as she took a pen and a piece of paper. Levi gave the menu a quick read.

 

“Montanara pizza and…” Levi looked at Eren expectantly.

 

“Umm...I will take the Hawaiian pizza", the young man said.

 

“Anything to drink?”, the cashier asked.

 

“Coffee and…”

 

“Coca-cola.”

 

“Okay, will that be all?”, she asked to which Levi answered with a nod. “That will be 28,45€.”

 

“You can go choose us a table while I pay", Levi said as he took out his wallet from his bag.

 

Eren nodded as he walked to the dining area. There were only a couple of people, all teens, so it wasn't hard to find a table. He chose one that was in a corner by the window and sat down to wait for his unexpected companion for the evening.

 

It didn't take long before Levi was sitting opposite of him to wait for their food. After a beat of silence Eren decided to speak up as Levi took his jacket off to reveal the suit underneath.

 

“You don't seem like the kind of guy to eat pizza. No offense”, Eren noted, adding the last bit hurriedly.

 

“I’m sure everyone can enjoy a good pizza”, Levi replied as he slipped his tie off and placed it inside of his bag, sighing once he noticed all of the paperwork that he still had to do. They weren't anything urgent but like hell would he leave them for tomorrow.

 

Eren hummed in reply as he watched the other. Levi seemed so out of place in his immaculate, ironed suit in the small pizzeria. However, his relaxed and confident aura made you feel like you were wrong in thinking that. Eren found it fascinating how the man opposite of him seemed be both in the wrong and right place at the same time.

 

Before he could continue to observe the shorter man any longer, their food and drinks were brought onto their table. They thanked the server before focusing on their respective meals. Eren noticed how not only did Levi start with drinking his coffee, which was a bit weird drink to have with pizza but he wasn’t judging, but he also lifted the cup by the rim to his lips.

 

“What?”, Levi asked with a scowl as he raised his eyes to find the younger staring at him with a curious expression.

 

“You hold the cup weirdly”, Eren said with a tilt of his head, before realizing how rude it sounded, his cheeks suddenly burning with embarrassment  _ again.  _ “I don’t mean-! I just-! Um...No offense..?”

 

_ Nicely done, Eren. Good job. How many times have you embarrassed yourself today again? _

 

Levi looked at him with a bemused gaze before suddenly his lips curled up into an amused smile as he shook his head.

 

“No offense taken”, he said with a soft chuckle. “I hear that a lot so I’m used to it.” He shrugged nonchalantly. “But it’s just a habit of mine that I haven’t bothered to fix. I don’t care what other people think of me, so if it doesn’t bother me, I’m not going to do anything about it.”

 

Eren hummed before a flash of sadness crossed his eyes, too fast for Levi to be sure whether or not it was real or just his imagination. “That seems nice.”

 

“What does?”, Levi asked with an arch of his brow.

 

“Not caring what other people think. To do things for yourself and not because of others”, the brunet answered, a faraway look in his eyes before he shook his head as if to dispel the thought. “I don’t know what I’m saying. Please, just forget what I said.”

 

“If you don’t want to give a shit about what other people think, don’t. It’s so simple”, the black haired male said as he crossed his arms.

 

Eren let out a laugh but anyone could tell it was forced. “You’re right”, he said with a hollow smile. “We better start eating before it gets cold.”

 

Levi felt a weird tightening in his chest while looking at the younger, but ignored it. The rest of the time they exchanged some small talk as they ate. Levi couldn't understand how Eren could endure let alone  _ enjoy _ pineapple on pizza, while Eren didn't understand how someone  _ didn't _ like pineapple on pizza.

 

It was close to 11 PM when they finally exited the pizzeria, leaving in different directions afterwards. Eren thanked Levi before they parted, but didn’t specify if it was for the meal or for stopping to talk to him on the bridge. It could be both even. Who knows.


	3. Coworkers And A Lunch Break

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, everyone, and welcome to another chapter!!! I wanted to post this during the weekend but I tried not to because otherwise I feel like there will be a point where I don't have a chapter for like a long time if I keep this pace up...so I want to try to pace my updates a little more so that I can keep somewhat regular updates up.  
> Also for those of you who read my other Riren fic, I will be updating it soon. Probably today or tomorrow so keep an eye out for it.
> 
> Anyway, enjoy!

Levi was dead tired. He had pulled an all-nighter to get all of the paperwork done and he was  _ not _ in a mood to deal with his overly ecstatic coworker.

 

“Fuck off, Hanji", he snapped when they kept blabbering on and on about something that he couldn't give a shit about.

 

“Oh? Someone’s moody!”, Hanji exclaimed like they had made the discovery of the century.

 

“You have three seconds to leave before I fuck up your face", Levi warned as he glared daggers at the brunette, who didn't seem to care. He sometimes wondered if they were a huge masochist.

 

“Hey, don't be like that! I just wanted to see you! We didn't see each other yesterday at all!”, they whined. “Erwin gave me sooooo much work and Moblit didn't let me leave until everything was done!”

 

“He has worked with you long enough to know that if you get to slip away once you will do it again and again”, the short man sigh. “Kudos to him for being able to handle your shit daily.”

 

“You're so heartless!”, Hanji cried out with a pout which quickly turned into a grin. “But I want to talk to  _ you  _ now.”

 

“Well, I don't. Why you go to  _ your _ own floor, to  _ your _ desk and mind  _ your  _ own business”, Levi hissed. “I have work to do and your presence is  _ not _ helping.”

 

“Harsh”, the brunette said. “But I heard you had a  _ date _ last night!”

 

Levi’s hand stilled on the paper that he was writing on and he could feel several eyes turn their way. He raised an eyebrow at the other.

 

“I had a what now?”

 

“A _ date _ !”, they exclaimed happily.

 

“How the ever loving fuck did you come to that conclusion?”, he growled, glaring at the other people staring at them to get them back to work.

 

“An acquaintance of mine saw you with some cutie, laughing and smiling while eating pizza", Hanji explained cheerfully, whirling a piece of hair between their fingers as they sat down onto Levi’s desk. “But you rarely ever crack even a small smile! Had to be your boyfriend.” They nodded to themselves as if there was no other option.

 

“It wasn't a date. Not even close", the black haired man said as he rolled his eyes. “The kid was about to jump off a bridge so I stopped him and offered to buy him dinner. That's it.”

 

“What!?”, Hanji yelled with wide eyes as they jumped up from the desk. “Is the poor boy okay?”

 

“How should I know?”, he snapped.

 

“You didn't ask for his number or take him to get some help?”, they asked, actually worried for a stranger who they haven't even met. But it was Hanji after all. They knew what it was like to lose a friend to suicide. Maybe that’s why they were so concerned.

 

“I didn't. It wasn't really my business”, Levi said as he tried to turn back to work.

 

“But you had already stopped him once, although, I’m surprised you did even that?” Hanji watched him with a raised brow, expecting him to explain, but he only shrugged. He still didn't quite know why he intervened last night. It just happened.

 

Thankfully Moblit came to drag the eccentric brunette away before they started inquiring more. He heaved a sigh of relief as he got back to work.

 

* * *

 

Just like he had planned, when lunch time came, Levi headed for the elevator and towards the coffee shop. He didn't know why but when he saw Eren behind the counter he could feel a weight being lifted off his chest. Was he worried about the young barista?

 

Levi walked up to the counter, Eren not seeing him as he prepared another drink before handing it off to a server. She had shoulder-length black hair, grey eyes and flawless, light skin. She was quite a beautiful, young lady. Not really Levi’s type but beautiful nonetheless.

 

Levi hadn’t seen her here the day before. Previously it had been just Eren. He had assumed that Eren didn’t have enough money to hire someone but seemingly he had been wrong.

 

Eren finally seemed to notice that someone was standing by the counter as he turned to Levi with his hollow, polite smile.

 

“Hello, what can I-", the brunet started but his eyes widened as he recognized the short man. The smile on his face turned to a bright, genuine one in just seconds. “Levi! You really did come.”

 

“Of course", Levi said with a roll of his eyes but he couldn’t help the small, unconscious smile that rose on his lips. The boy was positively glowing and it was contagious. Even the supposedly stone-cold Levi couldn't resist smiling back a little.

 

“So what would you like?”, Eren asked with his bright smile.

 

“One black coffee, please", Levi said. He didn't know how he could still be so civil and polite with the young man. He was so tired earlier that he wanted to rip someone's head off but now he felt at peace and relaxed. He belatedly realized that it must be  _ Eren _ who made him calm down. He was such a warm, bright ball of energy that you couldn't feel negative emotions near him. Levi almost wanted to laugh at the irony of the thought because of what happened last night.

 

“Levi?”

 

The dark haired man snapped to attention at the worried voice of the brunet who was looking at him with a concerned expression.

 

“Yes?”, he asked, his face blank.

 

“Are you alright? You look a bit tired…”, Eren said with a furrowed brow as he looked the other up and down.

 

“I just pulled an all-nighter”, Levi answered nonchalantly with a shrug as if it was no big deal to stay awake for over 24 hours. The barista didn't seem to agree.

 

“That's bad for your health, you know? You shouldn't do that…”, the brunet mumbled with a frown.

 

“Nothing I can do about it. I had a lot of work to do yesterday.”

 

“Oh…” Eren’s face paled like he realized something terrible. He raised his green eyes to meet with Levi’s silver ones with a guilty look. “It was my fault, wasn't it? I’m really sorry. I should’ve-"

 

“It's not your fault. I was the one who talked to you and asked you to join me for dinner", the shorter man said firmly, leaving no room for arguments before his lips curled up into a small smile. “Besides, I really enjoyed your company. It was a nice change.”

 

“Really?”, Eren asked with glimmering green eyes. Levi was sure he saw the ocean in those eyes.

 

“I’m not the kind of person who would lie to make someone else feel better. So stop worrying your cute, little head with it", he answered with a roll of his eyes.

 

Eren, however, grabbed onto a part of what he said. “You think I’m cute?”, he asked with a teasing tone as he smiled mischievously.

 

Levi pretended to think about it, placing his hand on his chin and tilting his head as he hummed. “You could say that? But you could also say bratty. I think that suits you better.”

 

Levi couldn't stop the smirk as he saw the other pout.

 

“Well, I could say that you’re hot but I could also say that you’re just short", Eren threw back, a smug smirk rising on his lips as Levi’s smirk turned into a scowl.

 

“You know I have a tendency to cut people down for that”, the black haired man warned.

 

“Oh yeah?  _ Try me _ ”, Eren challenged but before it could escalate further, the female server coughed to draw their attention.

 

“Eren, you should give him his coffee", the dark haired woman, whose name tag said Mikasa, advised and it was only then that Levi noticed her sending him dirty looks.

 

“O-oh, right! I-I will get right to it!”, the brunet said, his cheeks starting to gain reddish color. “Did you want it with you?”

 

Levi almost said ‘no’ just so he could talk to the charming barista some more, but he had his lunch waiting for him and he had already wasted-  _ spent _ part of the lunch break talking to Eren. It wasn't wasted time. He was feeling too good for it to be a waste of time.

 

“Yes", he said instead as he took his wallet out of his pocket and started rummaging through it for the money. He remembered how much it cost. How could he not when it was so undeservingly  _ cheap _ . However, Eren’s voice stopped him.

 

“It’s on me. Don’t worry about the money.”

 

Levi raised an unimpressed eyebrow at the younger.

 

“I know for a fact that you spend all of your money on that bottle of shit yesterday so I’m sure you could do with a little more cash", he said as he continued to search his wallet.

 

“You bought me that pizza yesterday. I still owe you for that so just,  _ please _ , let me even just this once give you a free coffee as repayment”, Eren pleaded with determination.

 

Levi was sure that the other wouldn't accept his money so he just sighed and nodded as he went to stand on the side while the barista prepared his drink. He fiddled with his wallet while he waited before slipping it in his pocket when Eren was finished, offering the coffee to him.

 

“Thank you", Levi thanked as he took the cardboard cup.

 

“You're welcome. Enjoy your coffee", Eren said with a wide smile before it turned slightly uncertain. “See you?”

 

“See you", Levi said. “Oh, and this is for you.”

 

Eren watched as Levi placed a 20 euro bill on the counter before turning on his heels and swiftly heading out before the brunet could protest.

 

“Hey!”, Eren shouted after him and was about to follow him to return the money before another customer came in. He groaned before putting on his polite smile. He could feel Mikasa’s eyes on the back of his head. It would be a long day...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all the lovely comments and kudos so far!


	4. Questions And Great Friends

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, everybody and welcome to another chapter! I was going to post this the day after tomorrow but decided against it so here, you can have it now! Also as a side-note, I'm proud to say that I have already 14 chapters (over 80 pages!!!) written out for this fic! And I haven't even gotten to like 90% of the things that I have planned to happen so this will be a long ride! :D
> 
> But anyway, enjoy!

“Levi, where were you!?”, Hanji exclaimed once they saw the short male enter the break room.

 

“I just went to get some fucking coffee”, Levi growled as he showed the brunette the almost empty cup. He had drank most of it while he walked back. He couldn't help it; he was tired and the freshly made coffee smelled fantastic.

 

“From the coffee shop across the street?”, Hanji asked, their brows furrowing in confusion.

 

“Where else?”, Levi retorted with a roll of his eyes as he started to get his lunch ready swiftly.

 

“But you always complained about how rundown the establishment looks!”, brunette reminded. “Besides, the coffee machine was replaced this morning!”

 

“Oh…” Well, Levi didn't know that. He hadn't bothered to check either. It wasn't fixed when he had last seen it. “Whatever. Eren’s coffee is better either way.”

 

The short man only belatedly realized he maybe shouldn't have said that because Hanji’s eyes started to sparkle and that was never a good sign.

 

“‘ _ Eren's _ coffee’, huh? I remember the name being Carla’s Coffee, though", they said with narrowed eyes and a mischievous smirk. “So who might this  _ ‘Eren'  _ be, hmm?”

 

Levi wanted to hit the brunette but he was sure that beating up two of his coworkers within a week was more than Erwin would let him get away with. He should've saved the punch for this situation instead of punching Oluo for breaking the coffee machine.

 

“A barista, obviously”, Levi said, trying to appear as indifferent as possible but as expected, nothing goes past the brunette. He sighed and continued before the other could get anymore ideas. “He was the one I was with last night.”

 

That immediately silenced any teasing comments that they had as their face fell and eyes widened.

 

“The suicidal boy?”, Hanji asked curiously.

 

“Yes.”

 

“So he works at the coffee shop?”, they inquired.

 

“He  _ owns _ the coffee shop”, the ebony haired male corrected. Though, it wasn't like it mattered in this context.

 

“How...was he?”, Hanji seemed uncharacteristically hesitant to ask. In other situation Levi probably would've laughed at the other’s unusual silence but they were talking about pretty serious matters.

 

“He looked fine", Levi answered with a shrug.

 

Hanji had their lips pursed as they pondered what to do.

 

“Maybe I could go talk to him…”, they mumbled, more to themselves than to Levi but that didn't stop him from stating his opinion.

 

“Better not. I doubt he would feel any better knowing that I was spreading his secrets to strangers when even I barely know him”, he reasoned as he sat down and finally got around to eating his lunch.

 

“Then  _ you  _ have to talk to him, Levi”, Hanji insisted.

 

“It's not my business”, Levi answered between swallowing bites. “Besides,  _ you _ haven't even _ seen  _ him.”

 

He knew it was an insensitive thing to say but he was getting irritated and annoyed by the topic.

 

“It doesn't matter! I know what it feels like to lose someone close to you to suicide and I don't want  _ anyone _ to go through that if I can prevent it!", they yelled, slamming their hands on the table and trembling slightly after the outburst. They gained a few onlookers but Hanji didn't care. “And you already helped him once...”

 

The words were quiet but desperate as they looked at Levi with a pained expression. He could only sigh.

 

“Okay, okay. Calm down. I will see if I can talk to him or something”, the shorter consented before a small smile rose onto his lips. “Besides, his coffee is fucking good.”

 

His attempt at lightening the mood worked as Hanji let out a snort.

 

“And that's all you ever care about, you coffee addict", they said fondly as they shook their head.

 

* * *

 

Eren was tense. Mikasa had been silently observing him since Levi left and he was dreading the inevitable interrogation. He could feel those sharp eyes on the back of his head but he tried to ignore them as he continued to do his job quietly.

 

“Eren", she called once the coffee shop was empty.

 

He took a deep breath to calm down as he prepared himself to answer the array of questions that the female had.

 

“Yes?”, he said as he turned around to face the black haired woman.

 

“Who was that man?”

 

Eren briefly thought about asking what man but knew better than to pretend to be dumb in front of Mikasa. They both knew who she was asking about.

 

“Levi", he answered.

 

A frown found its way onto the young woman’s face. “Eren, you know what I meant. Who is he? How did you meet him?”

 

Eren really didn't want to answer or else he would need to lie. There was no way he was going to tell her the truth.

 

“ _ Eren _ ", she warned when he took too long to answer.

 

“Okay, I will answer!", the brunet said with a sigh. “I got drunk yesterday and things happened so he offered to buy me dinner.”

 

It wasn't _ completely _ false but not the truth either. Also probably not the best thing he could’ve made up...

 

“ _ ‘Things happened’ _ ?” Her eyes narrowed into slits. “What are those  _ ‘things' _ ?”

 

Eren was having a hard time trying to come up with a believable lie, but Mikasa took that as a sign that something really bad had happened.

 

“He didn't touch you, did he?”, she asked, contained rage clear in her eyes. Eren didn't doubt that she would go and rip Levi to pieces if he answered yes.

 

“What? No! Of course not!”, Eren replied, slightly irked by the fact that Mikasa thought that he wasn't capable of protecting himself.

 

“Well, what happened then?”, she pressured.

 

“I don't know!”, he yelled, frustrated.

 

“What do you mean you don’t know!? What did he do to you!?”

 

“I really don't know! I was drunk! I only remember that he took me to eat!”, Eren lied.

 

“Then you don't know if he did something to you! He could a huge pervert and you wouldn’t know!”, she shouted.

 

“He’s not-!”

 

“How do you know? You said you don't remember!”, she interrupted. “Why did you even get so drunk in the first place!? It’s a weekday!”

 

“I’m not here drunk, am I!? So what does it matter!?”, Eren snapped.

 

“Of course, it matters! I don’t like some random stranger approaching you while-”

 

“ _ You _ don’t like it?”, the brunet scoffed with a roll of his eyes. “Last time I checked I was old enough to make my own judgements and decisions!”

 

“Eren…”, the woman tried to interrupt him more gently this time, but it was like Eren didn’t even hear him.

 

“What I do in my free time shouldn’t matter to you and I sure as hell don’t need you to tell me how to live my life!”, he rambled, his knuckles going white with the force that he was keeping his fists closed.

 

Mikasa’s soft hands suddenly closed around one of his fists gently.

 

“Eren, please, calm down”, she said calmly as she looked at Eren with worry in her grey eyes. “Are you alright?”

 

It was only then that Eren noticed the tears running down his face. He quickly turned his head away and wiped them away with the sleeve of his free hand.

 

“I’m fine”, he said softly once he finally seemed to calm down. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have shouted at you. I’ve just been a little stressed, that’s all.”

 

Mikasa was sure that it was more than just ‘a little stress’ but she didn’t want another confrontation with the other so she didn’t say anything. Though, she made a note to ask about it later.

 

“It’s okay”, she said as she rubbed Eren’s back while her other hand was prying the tightly closed fist open before he drew blood with his nails that dug into the palm of his hand. “I should apologize too. I shouldn’t jump to conclusions so easily, but you hadn’t messaged or called me in two weeks and when I finally have time to come and see you, I hear that you’ve been drunk out of your mind. I got really worried, you know?”

 

“Yeah….I’m sorry to have worried you…”, Eren mumbled as he averted looking at her. He felt bad at first lying to her and then shouting at her for being worried. She was such a great friend to not have walked out during his outburst. He felt like he didn’t deserve such a friend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who has left kudos or comments so far! I love reading your comments! They make me really happy to write this! ^w^


	5. Cold Winds And A Buffet

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, everyone! I gift to you another chapter! Tbh, I was supposed to post this yesterday already but it was like 4 am when I remembered it so I'm only posting this now. Also, I will probably be posting a new chapter once a week. I could do more since I have so many chapters ready but I need to re-read them and go back and forth between chapters to make sure everything makes sense and all that jazz...But if I get too excited I might post multiple times a week...We'll see but you will be getting at least one chapter per week, I promise!

Levi didn’t know whether or not he should be surprised to find the young man sitting on the railing of the bridge again. He had finished work an hour earlier than yesterday  _ thanks to no one fucking up _ . It made him think; Had Eren been sitting there for hours yesterday? Though, today he didn’t see a shitty bottle of whiskey.

 

“You’ve found quite an unusual place for spending your spare time”, Levi said as he once again settled to lean on the railing. He grimaced as the smell of the cigarette hit him.

 

Eren hummed noncommittally but didn’t respond otherwise. His mind seemed to be too far away to get any sensible conversation out of the boy.

 

Levi thought about just leaving the brunet be before remembering what he had promised to Hanji. He let out a tired sigh as he resigned himself to another possible all-nighter and a headache from cigarette smoke.

 

It was completely silent. It wasn’t windy so the river was calm and steady and the sky was clear of clouds.

 

Levi liked big cities, but it was moments like these that he could appreciate the small city. The sky was gorgeous, stars slowly starting to show up as it got darker.

 

He didn't know how long the silence lasted before Eren let out a sigh and finally seemed to notice Levi. His green eyes widened in surprise.

 

“Levi!?”, the young man exclaimed. “How long have you been there!?”

 

“For a while", Levi answered with a shrug.

 

Remembering the other’s contempt for smoking, Eren quickly extinguished the cigarette.

 

“Why are you here?”, he asked.

 

“I was walking home when I saw some brat sitting on a railing of a bridge, wearing a fucking t-shirt when it’s close to 0 degrees outside", Levi explained as he took in the boy’s outfit. He was wearing a dark purple t-shirt, faded black jeans and the same sweatbands as the previous day. “Do you never get cold?” Levi felt cold just watching him.

 

Eren let out a soft, humourless snort. “If I jumped I would get cold anyway.”

 

“ _ If _ you jumped, but you won't”, Levi said firmly, surprising the other who blinked at him.

 

“How can you be so sure? You barely know me", the brunet snapped, but Levi seemed unaffected by his harsh tone.

 

“Because if you do, I swear I will fucking jump too", he answered. “I went to your coffee shop because the coffee machine at the company I work in was broken. It was replaced today and when I had a cup, it tasted like shit compared to your coffee. There’s no fucking way I’m going to drink that shit again so if you fucking jump and I have to endure work without caffeine or be satisfied with that shit, I rather follow your example.”

 

Eren’s eyes were wide as he tried to process what the older man had said. When he did, a bright smile graced his lips before hearty laughter bubbled out.

 

Levi’s lips curled up into a soft smile as he looked at the other with amusement. He felt something heavy roll off his shoulders when he saw the younger laughing genuinely, like such a young man should.

 

“I’m- I’m sorry", the brunet said breathlessly as his laughter died down, wiping tears from his eyes with a smile.

 

“It’s alright", Levi assured. He wanted to ask what made the boy come to sit here today but he didn't want to break the light air that settled around them.

 

“You work at Survey Corps, right?”, Eren asked curiously. The bright eyes and tousled hair made him look so young.

 

“Yes. Although, I don't remember mentioning that?”, Levi questioned. “Sounds a bit stalker-ish, hmm?”

 

“Wha-!? No!”, Eren denied, not catching the other’s teasing tone. “It’s the only suit-and-tie kind of company nearby! That's why I assumed you worked there!”

 

“Calm down, kid. I was just teasing you", Levi said as he shook his head. He couldn't tell if the brat was smart or dumb. Could he be a bit of both? Probably.

 

Eren was about to say something, but the growl of his stomach embarrassingly interrupted him. His cheeks immediately turned red.

 

“Dinner?”, the shorter asked with a chuckle and a raised brow.

 

“Ah...I don't really- Wait!”

 

Levi flinched as Eren suddenly turned around and jumped down from the railing. The movement was so swift that he was afraid that someday the boy might accidentally fall off to the wrong side. The thought that Eren would be coming to sit here again made him slightly uncomfortable to say the least.

 

“This", the brunet said as he was done fishing for his wallet and pulled out the 20 euro bill that Levi had given him. “I can't take this.”

 

“Yes, you can. Consider it as my thanks for your company or great service or something”, the older man said, waving the other’s worries off with his hand. Or trying at least.

 

“‘Company or great service’? You make me sound like a prostitute!”, Eren said with a pout as he still held the money out to the other. His eyes soon widened as he realized something. “Oh…So that’s why Mikasa thought...”

 

“Hmm?” Levi raised an eyebrow at the young man’s musing.

 

“Oh, it’s nothing!”, the brunet assured, waving his hands in front of him as if that would dissolve Levi’s curiosity. “But as I said, I can't accept this much money.”

 

“Just keep it. I gave it to you because I wanted to. No one forced me to do it", Levi said as he pushed the hand that held the bill back towards Eren.

 

The brunet was about to protest but when Levi send him a silencing look, he bitterly placed the money back with a frown. He had lost this argument.

 

“Good. So dinner now?”, the black haired man asked.

 

“Sure, but I can pay for myself this time thanks to you", Eren said, the frown looking more like a pout at this point.

 

“You can but you won't”, Levi said firmly as he started to walk away from the bridge.

 

“And you're going to stop me?”, Eren challenged, his tone turning playful.

 

Levi hummed as he regarded the other keenly. There was something  _ fascinating _ about the brunet that he couldn't quite place. He seemed like the kind of person who would pull people in just by his presence. Which made Levi wonder why the young man wanted to kill himself so badly.

 

But he kept that to himself. Instead he continued their little playful banter. He was finding out that teasing the other was quite entertaining.

 

“Well, I can’t exactly stop you, but tomorrow you might get a bigger tip for the coffee", he said with a mischievous smirk. He felt so young in the other’s presence, like he was just a kid pulling pranks on his uncle for fun. It had been such a long time. God, he was  _ old. _

 

“Hey! That's not fair!”, Eren exclaimed. “That's blackmailing!”

 

“I’m blackmailing you by giving you money? Something doesn't sound right", the shorter said with a chuckle before his expression turned serious. “Why are you so opposed to me giving you money? I have more than enough to spare a little to some brat. Your coffee shop isn't exactly the most profitable one so you could use a little extra.”

 

“I feel guilty for taking money I didn't work for. My mother taught me that a hard work’s fruit is better than a meal on a silver platter. And I agree”, Eren explained as he started to follow after the shorter male.

 

“Then consider this as a...reward of sorts for your improvement", Levi said, gaining a confused look from the young brunet.

 

“My improvement?”, he questioned with furrowed brows.

 

“You didn't spend the money I gave you to some shitty whiskey. Improvement”, Levi elaborated casually.

 

Eren blinked at the other for a few times before his lips curled up and he burst into laughter.

 

Levi couldn't avert his eyes. The other was absolutely  _ beautiful _ while laughing his heart out, tears gathering at the corners of his eyes as he doubled up with laughter.

 

After a minute or so, Eren took a deep breath as his laughter died down. Levi felt almost disappointed that it ended so soon but he felt his breath hitch when the younger raised his eyes to him. He had tears in his shiny eyes, face flushed, hair messed up and one of the brightest of smiles on his face.

 

“So", Eren started, his tongue briefly coming out to lick his lower lip before he bit down on it to control his grin. “You're treating me to dinner?”

 

Levi hummed as he raised a brow.

 

“Not so reluctant anymore, huh?”, he said with a soft chuckle.

 

“Well, I want to keep ‘improving' so I probably need to save some money to buy good whiskey for the next time", Eren said with a smirk.

 

“Maybe first stop smoking and then think how to improve your other tastes", Levi suggested.

 

“Hmm...that might take a while”, the brunet answered with a shrug as they started to walk forwards side-by-side.

 

Levi side-eyed the younger as the wind blew past them, making the other shiver.  _ Obviously _ .

 

He bumped the other with his shoulder before starting to take off his outer jacket. He still had his suit jacket underneath so he would be fine.

 

“What was that for?”, Eren said with a frown.

 

“For being a stupid brat", the shorter answered as he draped the jacket over Eren’s shoulders. Levi might've been shorter but he had broader shoulders than Eren did so the jacket fell around him nicely. “You will catch a cold dressed like that, you idiot.”

 

“But-”

 

“I’m fine. Don't worry about it", Levi said, waving the other’s worries off. “Just bring your own jacket next time, okay?”

 

Eren blinked at him with wide eyes.  _ ‘Next time’? _ He couldn't stop the smile from spreading on his face.

 

“Okay, I will have my jacket with me next time", he answered, the smile widening even more as the thought, for some reason, made him incredibly happy.

 

“Good.” The shorter man’s face seemed indifferent but his eyes were full of mirth, but also a hint of sorrow. He was joyous about seeing the other like this again, but it held the implication that Eren would be sitting on that bridge in the cold, contemplating jumping into the river below. That thought didn't sit so well with Levi.

 

“So what do you want to eat?”, he asked after a moment of walking. It wasn’t as late as it had been the previous day so more places were open. Though, there were only a few places to begin with close by.

 

“I’m fine with whatever", Eren answered and Levi noticed that he had a slight skip in his step but didn't comment on it. It was kind of adorable in a way.

 

“Then how does a buffet sound?”, he asked as he looked around him for places they could eat at.

 

“Sounds good”, the younger said as he followed the other inside of a building that had both a shop and a restaurant.

 

Levi once again paid for their meal as he had promised before they went to fill their plates with the delicious smelling food items.

 

Eren seemed so lost with all the choices that Levi took it upon himself to go first and wait for the other to follow. It took a few minutes until they were done and sitting at a table by the window, though they could barely see outside with the darkness that had began to fall and the lights of the restaurant reflecting off the windows.

 

There were a few more tables worth of customers in the restaurant but it was relatively calm and quiet.

 

They began their meal in silence, only their knives and forks making sounds against their plates. This went on until they both had eaten around half a plate before Levi spoke up.

 

“Why were you at the bridge today?”, he asked carefully as he looked up from his plate.

 

Eren’s hands stilled and his jaw clenched. He put the utensils down before speaking with a soft voice.

 

“I just...I just felt like it?”, he said with a shrug, like it wasn't a big deal if he died. Maybe it wasn't to him, but Levi didn't like that.

 

Levi frowned as he searched his bag and took out a notebook and a pen, confusing the other. He wrote something on the paper before ripping the page off and handing it to Eren.

 

The brunet took the offered note and read it. It had a phone number on it. His eyes widened and he was about to open his mouth, when Levi spoke.

 

“If you ever, no matter what time it is, feel like that again just…call or text me, okay, Eren?”, the older said as he looked expectantly to the other.

 

Eren was speechless for a moment, his mouth hanging open as he processed what Levi had said. He let out a small sigh as he gripped the paper and smiled sadly at the numbers.

 

“Okay", he agreed with a slow, soft nod.

 

Levi hummed in approval and Eren, for some reason, felt a lightness in his chest for the first time in years. He felt almost  _ giddy _ .

 

It was silent for a while before Eren decided to inquire about something that had been on his mind for a bit.

 

“So...you have a caffeine addiction?”, he asked as he took a sip of his water, eyeing the coffee cup that Levi had.

 

“Keeps me focused and awake", Levi said, not really answering the question. He was too proud and stubborn to admit that he was dependant on caffeine, although all evidence points to an addiction.

 

Eren hummed in response, a smug, mischievous smirk tugging his lips upwards.

 

“Don’t you look at me like that, you brat. You know nothing", Levi hissed as he directed a glare at the younger man.

 

“Really? But I know your name and phone number though”, Eren said as he waved the note in his hand. However, his playful face turned to a musing one quickly. “Is it your personal or work number, by the way?”

 

“Of course, it's personal. Why would I give my work number to you? I have enough people calling it 24/7 already", the black haired man pointed out.

 

“Oh, that’s reasonable.” The smirk returned onto the brunet’s face. “But isn't it weird to give me your  _ personal _ phone number since, apparently, I don't know anything about you? Oh, except your name and now your personal number.” He paused briefly before grimacing. “And that you drink your coffee black.”

 

Levi rolled his eyes.

 

“Well, at least I don’t get aroused by ogling sweets", he returned, the other’s mischievous playfulness contagious.

 

The brunet spluttered as his cheeks burned bright red.

 

“I-I wasn’t aroused by them nor was I ogling them!”, he denied, trying to look angry and intimidating with his glare but failing miserably because of his cute little blush.

 

“Sure. Whatever you say, sweetheart”, the older said sarcastically, but maybe the endearing pet name wasn't the best idea. Eren’s eyes widened and he fell silent instead of continuing their playful back and forth banter as he tried to form something to say before giving up and turning to his food.

 

The atmosphere turned awkward as they finished their dinner in silence. When it came time to part, their goodbyes were just as awkward.

 

“So...uh...I’ll...see you...um...tomorrow?”, Eren said as he scratched the back of his neck while averting eye contact.

 

Levi wanted to say that they would only meet during his lunch break in the coffee shop. He didn't want to see the brunet sitting on the bridge again. But he decided not to voice those thoughts.

 

“Yeah, see you tomorrow, Eren", he said, his tone flat, but he hoped Eren noticed the sincerity in his eyes.

 

By the smile that rose on those rosy lips, he knew that Eren did.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading and thank you so so much for everyone who has left kudos or comments! I love you and hope you enjoyed! ^w^


	6. Budding Love And Loud Voices

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, Everyone! I'm back with another chapter! I've been writing this fic like crazy! I have 21 chapters ready as of today!!! I could start updating this more often but some of the chapters are long and take a lot of time to re-read but we'll see what happens! Enjoy~

Eren knew it was stupid. He had only known Levi for a couple of days. He was good-looking, kind and well off but he was also a short, old man with a gruff personality.

 

It really was stupid, but there was no mistaking the giddiness he had felt the previous day with Levi and the way his heart threatened to burst out of his ribcage just because the shorter sarcastically called him  _ ‘sweetheart’. _

 

There was no denying it: He was in love.

 

He was excited and giddy the next day, greeting customers with genuine smiles instead of the hollow, polite ones that always haunted his face at work. He was just so  _ happy _ . He would see Levi, exchange a few words before the other would return to his work. But he was sure they would meet by the bridge later also. It was the first time that the bridge was in his thoughts because of something  _ good _ . It was the first time he had something other than thoughts of death waiting for him there.

 

Eren didn't realize how deep he was in his daydreaming until Mikasa began to shook his shoulder and calling his name worriedly.

 

“Eren, are you alright? You were spacing out…”, she said with a concerned frown.

 

Eren smiled widely as he nodded his head.

 

“I’m more than alright. I’m feeling  _ fantastic _ !”, he exclaimed, drawing the attention of the old couple that were regulars at the coffee shop. They looked at them with wide eyes, Eren suddenly feeling embarrassed with the attention, before their expressions turned fond and they both smiled softly at the brunet.

 

Even Mikasa smiled happily at the genuine enthusiasm and energy he was displaying. It wasn't often that she saw it nowadays so she didn't question him about it. He had had bit of dark cloud over him since his mother had died so she was just glad that her friend seemed to be going better.

 

It was after an hour when the bell chimed, indicating a customer. Eren turned to look at the door with the same excitement as he had the whole day. Though, this time his smile widened even further as his eyes laid on the black haired man walking inside.

 

“Hi, Levi!”, Eren greeted happily as the man reached the counter.

 

“Hey, Eren", Levi said with a small, relieved smile. He had been expecting an awkward encounter because of what happened the previous evening. However, he was glad to be wrong. He found out that he liked the loud, bubbly Eren more than the silent, reserved Eren.

 

“One black coffee to go, I presume?”, Eren asked, looking smug for knowing the other’s order. He could feel Mikasa’s disapproving gaze on the back of his head and he was sure that Levi noticed the female’s calculative eyes that were sure to observe him also. He was just glad the shorter ignored her.

 

“Oh? How did you know?”, Levi asked playfully, not caring if other people saw. Out of the few people there, he only knew Eren anyway.

 

“Just had a feeling”, the brunet answered with a wide smile, going along with the little play.

 

The older man chuckled in amusement as he shook his head.

 

“Oh, right! Wait a bit!”, Eren said suddenly as he remembered something. He went through a doorway that led to the backroom and came back after a moment, carrying Levi’s jacket. “Sorry, I forgot to return it yesterday.”

 

“No, It’s alright”, Levi said as he accepted the jacket, smiling warmly at the brunet.

 

Eren returned the smile with one of his own wide, bright smiles before Mikasa coughed softly to bring him back to present. His cheeks quickly flushed a deep crimson as he spluttered and fumbled with his pen and notepad, as if he needed them for remembering Levi’s order.

 

“S-so that will be 40 cents”, he said, trying to sound professional even with the blush on his face.

 

Levi wanted to tease him about it but refrained because of the woman watching them with a displeased look. Instead, he took out his wallet and gave the boy the few coins. He was tempted to give more just to see the other troubled when he refused to take back the change but he had a feeling the woman wouldn’t be very pleased with that. Not that Levi cared about that, he just was too much in a good mood to ruin it by possibly starting a fight. He could see the server was ready to bounce already.

 

So Levi stepped aside as he waited for Eren to get his coffee ready. He watched the boy-  _ young man _ prepare the simple cup of coffee with practised ease and within a couple of minutes, he had a warm cardboard cup of coffee in front of him along with bright green eyes smiling at him.

 

“There you go", Eren said as he handed the cup to Levi, their fingers briefly brushing together.

 

“Thank you,  _ Eren _ ", Levi said, emphasizing the other’s name as he looked into those ocean green eyes.

 

Eren’s cheeks gained a pinkish hue but he tried to ignore it as he smiled brightly at the shorter male.

 

“See you, Levi", he said as casually as he could.

 

“Yeah, see you, Eren.”

 

And with those words Levi turned around and exited the coffee shop.

 

Eren was about let out a dreamy sigh, before Mikasa interrupted him.

 

“He’s too old for you.”

 

His smile was immediately replaced by a scowl as he sent a glare at her.

 

“That's not for you to decide", he said defensively, trying to contain his rising anger. He didn't need another fight with Mikasa.

 

“Eren, he will only take advance of you”, she claimed, a hint of desperation seeping into her voice.

 

Eren had enough. He slammed his fist down onto the counter, glad that the shop was empty. The old couple had apparently left at some point when he was talking to Levi.

 

“What the  _ fuck _ do  _ you _ know about  _ him!? _ Fucking  _ nothing! _ ”, he roared angrily. “You’ve  _ never _ talked to him! You don't-!”

 

“I know a predator when I see one, Eren!”, she insisted, interrupting him.

 

“ _ A predator!? _ ”, Eren hissed, seething with anger. “He’s not a fucking predator! What the fuck is wrong with you!?”

 

“What's wrong with _ me!? _ What's wrong with  _ you!? _ ”, Mikasa shouted, losing her cool completely. “Eren, do you want to get raped and die in some ditch!?”

 

“Like you would even care!”, Eren shouted back. “You're here once in a blue moon and act like you’re protecting me! Like hell! I’ve taken care of myself just fine for the past few years without you, Armin or anyone barely ever here!” Frustrated tears started run down his face as his lips trembled. “I’m not a fucking a kid anymore so don't treat me like one! I don't know how many times I have to say it but I can make my own decisions and judgements by myself!”

 

Eren was breathing hard and sobbing after his outburst. He turned away from the woman to hide his face and wipe his tears away.

 

“Eren, I-", she started, reaching out with her hand to Eren’s shoulder.

 

“Go home", the brunet interrupted, his voice resigned and quiet. “Just leave me alone, okay? I can handle work by myself.”

 

Mikasa couldn't argue with the sad, pleading tone and nodded even though the other couldn't see it before disappearing into the backroom. After a while, Eren heard the backdoor open and close and he let out a tired sigh. Today had been such a rose colored day but he had forgotten that every rose has its thorns.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone for reading, commenting and leaving kudos!


	7. Freezing Metal And Hospitals

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, everyone! I'm back with a new chapter! I'm going to be honest. I don't like how this chapter turned out. It could be because I'm sick and tired af now that I'm re-reading it but somehow it doesn't feel that good...Either way I hope you still enjoy it!

Eren closed the coffee shop earlier than usual. He couldn't stay there anymore. Not that anyone would even care whether he was there or not. Not that many people frequented the shop.

 

So he took his pack of cigarettes and a lighter before heading to the bridge. It was freezing cold outside but he forgot to take his jacket with him despite his promise to Levi.

 

He let out a humourless, empty snort. Levi. Like he would care if Eren had a jacket or not. He had just taken pity on him. Eren was so pathetic to fall in love with him when Levi was probably only doing everything out of guilt and feeling of responsibility.

 

Eren arrived at the bridge and climbed to sit on the railing. His fingers got slightly stuck on the ice cold metal as he climbed but he just forced them apart, some skin getting ripped off but he didn't care. He was too tired and numb from the cold to care.

 

He reached into the pocket of his pants and pulled out his cigarettes and the lighter. He lit one and took a lungful of smoke before exhaling. After a while his body started to relax. Or maybe everything was just going numb with the cold. He didn’t know but he couldn't bring himself to care either.

 

He started coughing violently but still kept inhaling the smoke like it was the only thing keeping him together. He was shivering terribly, his breathing slowing down and exhaustion started to creep in. Sleep crossed his mind before he remembered that he was outside in the cold. He could die.

 

But did it matter?  _ No, it didn't. _

 

So he let his eyes fall shut and as he drifted off, he could feel his body leaning forward. There was a sudden alarmed shout of his name from behind before he lost consciousness.

 

* * *

 

When Eren opened his eyes, he saw an unfamiliar ceiling. White, pristine ceiling with not a crack or stain to be seen. His head was pounding as he tried to figure out where he was. That was hard though because he didn't have the energy to move any part of his stiff body.

 

After a while he started to hear things around him like he had just emerged from underwater. There were soft beeping and whirring sounds and muted talking.

 

He let out an involuntary groan as he forced himself to move his head to the side. Even with his blurry mind, he recognized the hospital equipment. He noticed that the talking had stopped and soon saw a doctor entering the room.

 

“How are you feeling?”, the doctor asked as he checked all the machines that were attached to Eren.

 

The young man tried to speak but no sound came out of his parched throat.

 

“Don't force yourself", the doctor said as he wrote something on the notepad he had with him. “I asked a nurse to bring you something warm to drink now that you're conscious.” He smiled at Eren, the corners of his eyes crinkling. They almost looked warm and kind but Eren didn’t want to believe they truly were. “I’m sure you're wondering why you're here.”

 

Eren didn't bother trying to nod, instead just looked at the old man expectantly.

 

“You were found unconscious out in the cold with very light clothing. You were suffering from mild to moderate hypothermia when you were brought here", the doctor explained. “By now we have managed to bring your body temperature up to non-fatal levels but you will need to spent at least today here to make sure you don't get a cardiac arrest. Possibly more depending on the details of how this happened. The person who saved you seemed to know you and indicated that you may have some...suicidal tendencies.”

 

Eren did his best to shake his head with the best confused look he could muster despite the nausea and pain it caused to erupt in his head.

 

The doctor hummed noncommittally. He could clearly see one of the boy’s mutilated wrists, uncovered by the thick blanket but didn't comment. Not when the patient wasn't completely in the clear yet.

 

It was then that there was a knock on the door and a nurse came in, carrying a tray with a cup and a bowl on it. Both the drink and the food were steaming but at this angle Eren couldn't see what they were. Not that he even cared. He felt sluggish and sick and just wanted sleep and never wake up.

 

“I will raise the bed to a sitting position so you can drink and eat better", the nurse informed gently as she fiddled with the controller of the bed and soon Eren was sitting upright.

 

She helped Eren drink and eat as he was too tired and sore to move his arms. After that they both left, saying that the person who had ‘saved’ him was there to see him. Could it be called being ‘saved’ if he  _ wanted _ to die?

 

He heard the door open and close as footsteps neared the bed. He turned his head little to the side slowly and his eyes widened.

 

“L-Levi…”, he croaked out quietly.

 

The short man looked very displeased, his arms crossed over his chest and a frown on his lips.

 

“What the  _ fuck _ were you thinking!?”, Levi shouted angrily. He noticed how the other flinched at his raised voice and sighed, trying to calm himself down. It would do him no good to scare the poor boy when he wasn't well.

 

“I-I’m- I’m sorry, L-Levi”, the brunet stuttered softly, both out of fear and weakness. “I-I know we w-were supposed to m-meet at the br-bridge and I-"

 

“No, we weren't”, Levi said, more harshly than he intended, regretting his tone when Eren’s breath hitched before he shrunk back against the bed. “Sorry.” He let out a sigh as he paced in the hospital room to calm down. “I gave you my number so you could call me if you felt like dying, didn't I?”

 

Eren had forgotten about that. He had spend the first half of his day spent only thinking about his meeting with Levi and how excited he was so he wouldn’t have needed to call the older man. When the darker thoughts came, he didn’t even think about trying to call someone to dissipate them.

 

“I...I forgot a-and…”  _ I wouldn't have called even if I remembered.  _ He didn't say that though.  _ I don't want to be a burden. _ He already was.  _ I don't want you to hate me _ . Levi already did, he knew it.

 

Levi sighed as he saw the hesitant, conflicted expression on the brunet’s face.

 

“It’s okay. Just,  _ please _ , call me next time, okay?”, Levi pleaded. He hoped there wasn't a next time. “You can't imagine how... _ scared _ I was when I saw you almost falling off the bridge and barely conscious. I feel like I lost more than just a few years of my life with that.”

 

Levi’s attempt at humour seemed to go through to the younger as his lips curled up into a small smile, although it didn't quite reach his eyes. But it was better than nothing.

 

“I’m sorry", Eren said before raising his eyes to meet Levi’s silver ones. “And thank you.”

 

There it was. The smile that brightened his eyes.

 

Levi said he had been  _ scared _ to lose Eren. Maybe Levi didn’t hate him, after all? If he hated Eren, he wouldn't care if he died, right?

 

Eren decided to believe in that because it lightened the weight on his chest and made him warmer inside.

 

A silence fell over them, but it was comfortable just being able be in Levi’s presence despite the hospital setting. But it eventually had to be broken.

 

“I meant it when I said to tell me if you ever feel bad”, Levi said softly as he carefully reached out to run his fingers through Eren’s messy, brown hair.

 

Eren’s face suddenly fell. “...Why?”, he asked, barely audible.

 

“Hmm?”

 

“Why?”, he repeated louder as he raised his eyes to Levi, desperation swimming in them. “Why do you care? Why bother with someone like me?” He wanted-  _ needed _ to know. He needed to hear that it wasn’t because of pity. He needed to know that Levi cared because Eren was Eren.

 

The older felt a tightening in his at that question. He knew the words he was about to say were cheesy and would probably cause him years of embarrassment but he swallowed his pride. If it gave Eren even a little bit of vigor, it would be worth it.

 

“Because you’re beautiful. Inside out", Levi said as he gazed at the stunned young man tenderly. “I’m rude, bad with words and socially awkward and yet you still seem to not only tolerate but genuinely  _ enjoy _ my company. There’s not a lot of people like that. And I enjoy yours more than I’d like to admit. Be it just a pointless debate about me treating you to dinner or an in-depth conversation about my nonexistent caffeine addiction. You've such a kind and cheerful presence as ironic as it sounds in this setting. And I’d definitely be sad if you died.”

 

Tears gathered in Eren’s eyes and Levi thought he had said something wrong before the brunet wrapped his arms around his shoulders, burying his face in the crook of Levi’s neck.

 

It took all of Eren’s strength to lift his heavy arms and pull the other into an embrace but it was worth it when he felt Levi’s arms gently wrap around his waist, careful not to rip off any of the wires and tubes that were attached to Eren.

 

They were like that for a while, just basking in each other’s presence. Eren was crying silently into Levi’s shoulder, trying to keep his sobs and trembles in check. He was failing horribly at that, especially since the gentle hand running up and down his back urged him to cry louder, to let it all out. But Eren eventually had to break the tranquility once he had calmed down enough. He pulled back from the embrace.

 

“What do you mean by ‘pointless debate’?”, he asked, sniffling as the last of his tears and sobs fell from him.

 

“I meant exactly what I said. It’s a pointless argument that still always happens. If I say I will treat you to dinner,  _ I will treat you to dinner _ , okay? So simple. I wish you’d learn that you will always lose it and just let me pay for our fucking dinner", Levi explained with feigned exhaustion before a smug smirk formed on his lips as he saw Eren’s expression.

 

“I haven't lost anything! You just don't play fair!”, Eren insisted, a frown marring his face.

 

“Well, there’s no rules to this ‘game' so nothing is ‘fair' or ‘unfair'", the older pointed out.

 

Eren wanted to erase that smug look that had been on Levi’s face far too long now.

 

“Well then if there are no rules, you don't mind if I don't serve you coffee anymore”, Eren said, a smirk forming on his lips as the other’s expression soured to a scowl. “Especially since your caffeine addiction is ‘nonexistent’"

 

Levi didn't want to admit it but he had lost. There's nothing he could say to that without either admitting to having an addiction or having the possibility that Eren would actually withdraw from serving him. Considering Eren’s stubbornness, Levi didn't doubt that he would do that.

 

“Hmm? No retort? Is that one point for Eren?”, the brunet teased. The remark gained him a scowl and a middle finger from Levi and he couldn't help bursting with laughter.

 

Levi stared at the other’s  _ beautiful _ , bright laughing face with wonder before his lips involuntary curled up and he joined the laughter, not even trying to resist the pull of Eren’s contagious joy.

 

It lasted for a moment until their laughter died down, Eren wiping happy tears from his eyes as he smiled at the older man who stared back at him with a similarly gentle expression.

 

Their moment, however, was interrupted by a knock on the door before it was opened. The doctor walked in and looked to Levi.

 

“I apologize but I need to talk with Eren so if you wouldn't mind waiting outside for-”

 

“I don't mind if he stays", Eren interrupted, a blush rising on his cheeks when both sets of eyes turned on him. He had sounded a bit too eager, hadn't he?

 

The doctor looked between the two of them. “May I ask what your relationship is? You don’t seem to be relatives.”

 

Eren hesitated. He didn't actually _ know _ . He wasn't sure if they were quite friends yet. Maybe acquaintances? But was it weird for an acquaintance to stay there to hear what a doctor had to say?

 

“We’re friends", Levi answered when the brunet took too long to answer.

 

Eren’s eyes rose to meet silver ones but the other was looking towards the doctor who once more looked between the two before nodding and turning his attention to Eren.

 

“I will be asking you a few questions to better determinate how long you should still stay here, okay?” Eren nodded. “How do you feel?”

 

Eren thought about saying he was fine but decided against it. If he didn't say how he really felt, the doctor might not notice something that was wrong with him and…

 

...And he still wanted to talk to Levi more. He wanted to end his pain, life, everything not so long ago...but just the fact that Levi wants to be with him, that he cares, changed that. At least, for now. He would give living another chance.

 

“I feel...sluggish?”, he answered carefully.

 

“How so?”, the doctor pushed on.

 

“My arms, legs and head feel heavy”, Eren explained, the doctor writing on his notepad while nodding.

 

“Anything else?” Eren shook his head slowly. “The feeling of weakness is normal. It should pass in a while but if it doesn’t, you need to inform us.”

 

The doctor glanced at Levi before his eyes were on Eren again.

 

“Why were you outside in such light clothing?”, he asked.

 

Eren tensed. He didn't want to tell the truth but hadn’t he just promised himself not to lie? What could he even say? He felt bad so he didn't care? That would only take him to a therapist or a mental hospital. There was no way he was talking about his feelings to a stranger who knew nothing about him.

 

_ But you talked to Levi about everything _ , his mind supplied. But Levi wasn't a stranger, not anymore. Levi was... _ Levi. _

 

“I forgot my jacket when I went out", he decided to answer after a moment. It wasn't a lie.

 

“Why did you go out?”, the doctor asked as he wrote something on his notepad again.

 

“I...I was meeting….a friend", the brunet explained, glancing at Levi guiltily. It sounded like it was Levi’s fault when it was entirely on Eren. He was supposed to go there to meet Levi only later. The reason why he went there actually was the same as the other time: he just wanted to die.

 

As he briefly thought about it, it had gotten so much easier to just go sit on the railing than it had been when he wasn’t sure if he really wanted to die or not. Maybe that was exactly why: because he was becoming more sure that life just wasn’t for him.

 

“Are you the friend he was meeting with?”, the doctor asked Levi.

 

“Yes", the short man said. It was partly a lie because they hadn't said outright that they would be meeting by the bridge in the evening but it was implied. Also they hadn’t appointed a time either. Speaking of time, Levi was glad he got off work earlier. He didn't even want to think what would've happened if he had been held up just a few minutes- even just a few  _ seconds _ longer.

 

“Anything else I need to know?”, the doctor asked as he shifted his gaze between Levi and Eren.

 

“No", Eren answered, maybe a bit too quickly.

 

Levi frowned as he glanced at the brunet but still shook his head. If Eren didn't want to talk to the doctor about his suicidal thoughts, he wouldn't push. Levi himself wouldn't want to talk to a stranger about something like that, doctor or not.

 

The doctor looked sceptical, glancing briefly at Eren’s scarred wrists, before writing on the notepad and standing up. Eren and Levi noticed his glance. Eren did his best not to react while Levi’s frown only deepened. It was the first time he was seeing the brunet’s wrists. They were always hidden under sleeves or sweatbands but he had had his suspicions. He wasn’t glad that he had been right.

 

“We still need to do one more medical check later but if everything turns out okay, you can probably leave in the evening already", the doctor informed, to which Eren nodded, before the doctor excused himself to go and take care of other patients.

 

It was only then that Eren thought to think of the time. He found a clock over the door that most likely led to the hallway. It was past noon already.

 

So he had been sleeping more than just a few hours…

 

The silence that fell in the room was heavy, neither of them knowing what to talk about. Eren only belatedly realized that not only could the doctor see his scars but so could also Levi. Maybe he thought Eren was a lost cause. That he was troublesome. Waste of a life-

 

“So if you get out today, how about we go have dinner?”, Levi suggested, interrupting Eren’s negative chain of thought before it got too out of hand. He could see the darkening look on the young man’s face.

 

Eren’s gaze snapped up, blinking a few times in confusion before what the shorter had said registered in his mind. A tentative smile rose onto his lips.

 

“I would like that”, he said, his smile growing as Levi graced him with a small one of his own. With just a dinner invite Levi had managed to wave away all those negative thoughts. It just reminded him why he had fallen in love with this man.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and kudos would be greatly appreciated! I especially want to know your opinion on this chapter. Was it bad? Ok? Good?  
> Also for those reading my other Riren fic "I'm Only Yours (Forever And Ever)" I will try to update it tomorrow. As I said in the beginning note, I'm sick so we'll see if I can manage to re-read the chapter...


	8. Sleepovers And Whiskey

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! I'm back with this week's chapter! And oh boy, it's long...It took me two days to re-read... Fortunately, I'm feeling better already but I still have the sniffs ;A;  
> Also a disclaimer: I don't really drink so the things here are either based on my internet research or what I've heard from other people. If anything's weird or incorrect, let me know!
> 
> Enjoy~!

Eren was released from the hospital close to 10 PM. Due to his still slightly low body temperature, the doctor wanted to keep him there a little longer just in case. Eren could've stayed the night and chosen to leave in the morning but he had too many bad memories from hospital visits and was glad to be out as soon as possible.

 

Despite the brunet's protests, Levi had stayed with him the whole time, reminding him about their dinner plans. Because Eren had to stay for longer than predicted, they had eaten some food in the hospital earlier but it had been hours since then. Though, Eren doubted that Levi still wanted go have ‘dinner' with him this late.

 

That's why he was surprised when Levi asked him what they should eat.

 

“Huh?”, Eren asked, dumbfounded as he blinked at the other with wide eyes. He heard that wrong, didn’t he?

 

“Yeah? What should we eat? Though, we don't have a lot of choices since a lot of places are closed", Levi said before furrowing his brows. “Actually, the only place I can think about is the pizzeria we went to a while ago…”

 

“Well, we could get something from the convenience store?”, Eren suggested. The other’s tone said that he really didn't want feel like having pizza again so soon.

 

“Convenience food doesn't sound that appetizing either. Especially since that's basically all I eat every day", Levi grumbled.

 

Eren looked surprised. “You don't cook your own meals?”, he asked with wonder.

 

“No, I never have time”, Levi answered.

 

“Oh…” Eren then realized something, his cheeks reddening with shame. “I’m sorry…”

 

“About what?”, the older asked, his brows furrowing as he turned to look at the boy walking next to him.

 

“You're busy and I’ve been holding you up for the whole day", Eren said, looking at the pavement before his eyes widened. “Wait! What about your work today?”, he asked worriedly.

 

“I took a day off", Levi said. Before Eren could say anything, he continued: “I haven't taken a proper day off on my own in years now. I had forgotten how relaxing it is not have piles of work to worry about.”

 

“Wait, you haven't had a day off in _years_!?”, the brunet asked, flabbergasted, his mouth hanging open and his eyes wide.

 

“I have been forced to take days off by my boss but even then I’ve been doing work at home. It's not like I have anything else to do”, Levi said nonchalantly with a shrug.

 

“What about your friends? Can't you hang out with them? Go drinking or something?”, Eren inquired curiously.

 

“All of my friends are my co-workers. I see them enough daily”, the shorter man explained. “Besides, I’m not a very social person and going to some dingy pub or bar just seems disgusting.”

 

“Is that so?”, Eren hummed before an idea struck him. “What if we cook our own dinner?”

 

“You know how to cook?”, Levi asked with a raised brow.

 

“Yes?” Eren blinked at him a few times in confusion. “...You don't?”

 

“I do, but I haven't cooked anything in a long while so I might be a bit rusty”, the black haired man said defensively.

 

“Reasonable enough.” Eren gave a nod before his expression turned to a thinking one. “But where should we cook? My apartment isn’t really the best of places. Though, I guess we could cook at the coffee shop.”

 

“We can go to my apartment", Levi consented. “It's not that far away and it’s close to a convenience store.”

 

“Okay", Eren said. He was having mixed feelings about going to Levi’s apartment. He was a bit hesitant because despite how close he felt to the black haired man, he had only known the guy for a few days. However, that feeling was overwhelmed by his excitement at going to Levi’s, _his crush’s_ , apartment.

 

They stopped by the convenience store to pick up a few ingredients, Levi letting Eren decide what they would make. Once they were done, Levi paid for their groceries before he led them towards his apartment.

 

Levi lived on the top floor of a 10-storey apartment building. It was nothing too fancy or big but it wasn’t a place that just anyone could live in. You had to have that little bit of extra money to afford living there. Eren knew that Levi seemed to have a little more than ‘a bit extra’ money in his pocket. He tried not to feel bad about himself as he thought about that.

 

They went up in an elevator to the top floor. Once the elevator doors opened, Eren noticed that there were only two apartment doors on this level when there had been four on the ground level.

 

“The two top floors have bigger apartments", Levi explained once he noticed the younger’s curious look.

 

Eren hummed as they went to one of the doors, Levi rummaging through his pocket for his keys when a thought entered Eren’s mind.

 

“Oh! Um...you don’t have a….girlfriend or a wife living with you, do you?”, he asked nervously as he watched Levi insert the key into the lock.

 

The black haired man paused and turned to look at the other with a confused look.

 

“No?”, he said, his brows furrowed. “Where did that come from?”

 

“Well...uh...I just thought since you lived in a bigger apartment that you had someone living with you...or something”, Eren mumbled, his ears going red with his embarrassment.

 

“I used to live in one of the smaller apartments", Levi explained as he opened the door, stepping aside to let Eren walk in first. “But I moved up here when it started to feel too cramped.”

 

That made Eren feel better. He almost wanted to ask how an apartment could feel cramped for a man as short as Levi but refrained from asking. He doubted that would end well.

 

Instead, he just hummed as he entered the apartment, taking off his shoes and the jacket provided by Levi before hesitantly taking a few steps inside the apartment. He could see the living room area from the hallway and it was all so tidy, like something from a commercial. The thought that he might dirty the pristine apartment made him slightly nervous. But Eren couldn’t help but feel that it was somehow cold and lonely despite how much obvious effort Levi put into keeping it clean.

 

“Eren, the kitchen is here", Levi said as he walked past the frozen brunet.

 

Eren blinked as he was snapped out of his thoughts and followed the older behind a corner where the kitchen area was. As expected, it was as clean as the rest of the apartment, the black marble countertops shining as the artificial light from the lamps hit them.

 

The older man set the grocery bag he was carrying onto the counter before turning to look at Eren. A small smile rose onto his lips.

 

“Are you going to be freezing every once in a while?”, Levi teased as he watched the younger once again admire his surroundings like he had never seen anything like it.

 

“No! I just-!”, Eren tried to explain hastily, his cheeks once again gaining color. “It’s just...everything is so... _clean_.” He waved his arms around to gesture to the apartment.

 

“Should it be dirty?”, Levi asked as the smile dropped, being replaced by a small frown and furrowed brows.

 

“No, no! I just mean...it’s _super_ clean”, the brunet tried to explain, more of it being him just gesturing in every direction with his arms. As he was flailing his arms around, Levi could see the uncovered scars on his wrists but pointedly tried to ignore them. In the end, the doctor didn’t say anything about Eren’s wrists despite how bad they looked.

 

“I like it ‘super clean’", Levi scoffed as he rolled his eyes and turned back to the groceries.

 

“Sorry, I didn’t mean anything bad with it…”, Eren apologized awkwardly, feeling like he had offended the other. This wasn’t going all that well for him, was it now?

 

“I wasn't offended. Don't worry", Levi reassured. “Now get your ass in here and help me put all these away.”

 

“But aren’t we going to make dinner?”, the brunet asked, confused as he moved closer to unload the stuff from the plastic bag that needed to be put into the fridge.

 

“Yes, but after we both shower”, Levi explained as he placed some of the groceries into his fridge, Eren giving him more to be put away.

 

“But I don't have a change of clothes though", Eren said as they finished, setting the plastic bag back onto the counter with the rest of the stuff in it.

 

“You can borrow mine. I have some oversized clothing that should fit you", Levi said as he turned on his heels and headed into what Eren assumed to be Levi’s bedroom. He wanted to go and take a peek at the room out of curiosity to see if it was as clean as everything else but decided against it. That felt too much like an invasion of privacy.

 

Levi came back just a short moment later, carrying some clothes on his arms.

 

“These should fit", he said as he handed the clothes to Eren. “If they don’t, call me and I’ll see if I can find something else.”

 

“Thanks", Eren thanked and gave the shorter man an appreciative smile.

 

Levi’s lips twitched into a minuscule smile in response before he turned around.

 

“The bathroom is here”.” He led Eren to a door and opened it. “You can find clean towels in that cabinet", Levi instructed, pointing at the cabinet under the sink.

 

Eren nodded as he entered the bathroom. He thanked Levi once more before closing and locking the door behind himself. He set the clean clothes on the countertop as he started to undress. When he had his shirt off, he caught his eyes in the mirror, noticing the blush that was forming on his cheeks.

 

_I’m at Levi’s home…!_

 

He felt giddy with excitement and joy as he took off the rest of his clothes and set them on the floor. Once he was completely bare, he stepped into the bathtub that was underneath the shower.

 

The warm water sliding down his skin felt so good and relaxing, like it was washing all of his stress away. However, after the initial relief wore off, the sound of the water only reminded him of the river under the bridge and with it came nothing but negative thoughts.

 

It was so easy to forget them when he was with someone like Levi but now he just had his thoughts. That's why he washed himself quickly and almost fell down as he hastily exited the tub. He wanted to get away from the sound of water and the thoughts that followed as quickly as possible.

 

He opened the cabinet that held the towels, piled up neatly, and took the top one. He dried off just as quickly as he had showered and looked through the clothes that Levi had provided. He didn't know if he was glad or not that Levi hadn't given him underwear to wear.

 

 _Who would even lend their underwear to someone? Wake up, Eren!_ , Eren thought as he picked up his own underwear from the floor before putting on Levi’s clothes.

 

He had been given a black turtleneck sweater, dark grey college pants and a pair of black ankle socks. The sweater was slightly short, the hem falling right above the waistband of the pants, leaving a sliver of skin uncovered. The pants were also too short, ending above his ankles, and a bit too tight around his butt and hips. The socks were good though.

 

Eren looked himself over in the mirror before he exited the bathroom. He heard the sound of the TV and found Levi sitting on the couch, watching some TV show that didn't seem to interest him by the bored look on his face.

 

“Where do I put the towel?”, Eren asked as he walked a little closer. Levi immediately raised his eyes to him.

 

“There's a-" A frown formed on his lips and Eren got scared that he had done something wrong. Levi waved his hand in a beckoning gesture. “Come here.”

 

Eren took a few hesitant steps forward before Levi grabbed his hand and pulled him to sit on the ground. His head spun slightly from the sudden movement as Levi maneuvered him into a position he liked, sitting on the ground between Levi’s calves, his back towards the couch.

 

“Wha-?” Before Eren could finish his question, the older took the towel from him and started rubbing it on his head.

 

“Your hair is still dripping wet, Eren!”, Levi basically growled as he continued to angrily dry the brunet’s hair. “You have just suffered from hypothermia and now you're planning on getting a cold? Such a troublesome brat.”

 

Despite the words, Eren could hear no malice in the other’s tone and after a moment the hands drying his hair turned more gentle.

 

“Sorry…”, he said, just in case he had upsetted the other.

 

Levi sighed. “Just dry your hair properly next time.”

 

Eren nodded and they fell into a comfortable silence, the only sound being the TV.

 

As Levi kept massaging his head, Eren felt himself growing sleepy. His eyelids kept trying to close despite his efforts to keep them open. It felt so nice to have someone dry his hair. It reminded him of his mother and his childhood, those days when his biggest worry was whether or not he had enough time to play with his friends.

 

“Are you sleepy?”, Levi asked softly once he finished drying the other’s hair.

 

“Mmhm...A little. Sorry”, Eren said as he rubbed at his eyes. “I will try to wake myself up.”

 

“Don't worry about it. You can nap on the couch while I take a shower", Levi said, watching with an amused expression as the younger nodded slowly and stood up sluggishly, only to let himself slump onto the couch.

 

Levi let out a soft chuckle as he turned off the TV before going to get his fresh clothes and disappearing into the bathroom.

 

Eren slowly laid down onto the couch, half-asleep already. He could smell Levi on the clothes he was wearing. He raised his other hand to his nose to sniff the sleeve of Levi’s shirt better. It smelled like coffee and lavender. The scent made him relax and eventually fall asleep.

 

When Levi came out of the bathroom, he wasn't surprised to find the younger sprawled across the couch, asleep. He decided that Eren could use a little more rest and went into the kitchen to make himself some coffee.

 

While he waited for the coffee to be ready, Levi got a blanket from his room and placed it gently on Eren. After that he walked back to the bathroom and he stood there for a while, contemplating what to do with Eren’s clothes. After a while he nodded to himself as he came to a decision. He took the clothes and placed them in the laundry basket.

 

Levi took the basket as he exited the bathroom, confirming that Eren was still asleep, he opened the door next to the bathroom, revealing his laundry room with two washing machines. He organized all the clothes by color and placed dark colors in one and certain lighter colors in the other before turning on the machines. The rest he left in the basket to be washed later.

 

As he was done with the laundry for now, he headed back into the kitchen to find his coffee ready. He poured himself a cup and sipped on the black, warm beverage slowly as he sat on an armchair that was next to the couch Eren was sleeping on.

 

It was quiet apart from Eren’s soft little snores. Levi usually didn't like other people in his apartment but just the brunet’s presence made him so calm and relaxed.

 

Once he was finished with his cup of coffee, he went to wash it. He took his time cleaning it. He normally would just place the cup in the dishwasher and start the machine once it was full enough, but he wanted to let the young man sleep as long as he could before waking him so he took to handwashing the cup.

 

But he couldn't procrastinate with that for long and eventually crouched down next to Eren and gently shook his shoulder.

 

“Eren", he called softly. When it had no effect, he raised his voice a bit. “Eren, time to wake up.”

 

“Mmmh…”, Eren moaned as he stirred awake. Levi couldn't help but think how _cute_ the brunet was with his messy hair and sleepy eyes.

 

Eren slowly pushed himself up until he was sitting on the couch on his knees, rubbing his eyes, the blanket falling around him. He shivered a little when the thick, warm blanket fell from over him.

 

“How long did I sleep?”, he asked, voice thick with sleep.

 

“Half an hour or something. I wasn't paying that much attention”, Levi said with a shrug like he was indifferent to the time when in reality he had been looking at the time to make sure the brunet got at least 30 minutes of sleep.

 

“Half an hour?”, Eren asked, starting to look more awake now.

 

“I made coffee and put the laundry in the washing machine”, Levi explained. “I also washed your clothing. I hope you don't mind.”

 

“I don’t mind, but you shouldn't have. I could’ve done it myself once I got home", the brunet said but he didn't look displeased by Levi’s actions so that was good.

 

“You weren't planning on going home today, were you?”, Levi asked, arching an eyebrow.

 

“Yeah?”, Eren said, confused.

 

“Eren, it’s going to be past midnight when we are done. Just stay the night", Levi insisted.

 

“But...I don't want to be a bother…”

 

“I hate troublesome things so if you were a bother, I wouldn't have even let you in. I would be more bothered to know that you're walking home alone in the dark”, the older explained with finality, walking into the kitchen. “Now what were you thinking for our dinner?”

 

Eren blinked at the sudden change in topic.

 

“I was thinking about chicken parmesan with spaghetti and green salad”, he answered as he followed the other into the kitchen. “Though, now that I think about it, it seems a bit heavy for this late.”

 

“It’s fine. I assume I will leave the chicken parmesan to you?”, Levi asked. He has never cooked something like that so he was better off leaving it to Eren and making the salad and spaghetti.

 

Eren nodded and they got to work, washing their hands before taking all needed ingredients out. Levi had all the things that were needed for cooking but he hadn't used them in years, some of them probably never. But he knew were everything was from his cleaning sessions.

 

They worked mostly in silence, Eren occasionally asking things like “where's the cutting board?”, “how much garlic do you want?” and “can you hand me the salt?”.

 

It was when Levi was setting the table and Eren finishing the chicken parmesan when his question wasn't about the food anymore.

 

“Did you mean what you said in the hospital?”, he asked.

 

That caused Levi to look at him even though Eren’s back was turned to him.

 

“What I said?”, Levi asked with a raised brow.

 

“That we are friends”, Eren clarified.

 

The question surprised Levi. _What was wrong with this brat’s head?_

 

“Are you stupid?” Eren felt his stomach twist and shoulders slump in disappointment before the other continued. “I invite you to eat dinner at my house, borrow my clothing, wash yours and offer to let you stay the night and somehow you think we're _not_ friends? You think I’m doing some charity work here or what?”

 

Eren’s mood was brightened by a tenfold by those words and he felt a grin pulling at his lips.

 

“Sorry, I just wanted to make sure~”, Eren singsonged happily as he placed the pasta and salad Levi had made onto two plates and added the chicken parmesan with marinara sauce on top. He had a small skip to his steps as he walked to the table and set down the plates opposite of each other before he and Levi sat down on their respective chairs.

 

Levi poured himself water from the pitcher he had set on the table before taking a bite of the food. It was absolutely delicious, just the right balance between the spices, the cheese and the sauce. He hadn't had a home-cooked meal in years and he was most definitely missing out.

 

“What do you think?”, Eren asked and Levi only then noticed that the younger was staring at him instead of eating.

 

“It's good", Levi answered, although that was an understatement, but Eren seemed happy with it as his grin widened and he happily dug into his own food.

 

Eren was brimming with energy as he kept talking about everything and anything that came to mind. Levi had to reprimand him a few times not to talk with food in his mouth but otherwise he was happy to just stay silent and listen, occasionally giving a nod or a hum as he continued to savour the food.

 

When they were done with the food, they moved to sit on the couch and watch the TV. Or they just had it on the background while the brunet talked about something that had happened over a week ago when he had hung out with some of his friends. They had gone drinking and some ‘horseface’ had thrown up on his other friend’s lap or something.

 

Levi wasn't listening as much anymore as an idea struck him. He pondered it for a while before standing up.

 

“-and you know, he looked even _more_ like a horse- Wait, Levi, where are you going?”, Eren asked, baffled when he saw the other stand up and start walking towards the TV.

 

“Well, since you seem to have no taste with drinks-", Levi started as he opened the cabinet that was on the wall above the TV. “-I thought that maybe I could educate you as a congratulatory gift of sorts for being released from the hospital.”

 

Eren’s face turned from confusion to surprise and finally settled on curious as he watched Levi take out multiple bottles of different alcoholic beverages along with two crystal glasses. He set them all on the coffee table before sitting next to the brunet.

 

As Eren studied the bottles, he noticed that at least most of them were whiskey and seemingly high-end stuff too. The rest he wasn’t sure about what they were because of the foreign language on the bottles but he guessed all of them might’ve been whiskey.

 

Levi pondered over the options before picking up the biggest bottle and pouring some of the brownish yellow liquid to each glass before handing one to Eren.

 

“And savour the taste and the smell and don’t just chug it down like you did with that other shit. Though, it's probably better that you had as little to taste of that shit as possible”, Levi said with a grimace before taking a sip of his drink.

 

Eren did the same, subconsciously preparing for the same bad, overwhelmingly bitter taste but was pleasantly surprised to find that instead of being overly bitter, it had a sweetness to it.

 

“What do you think?”, Levi asked with a knowing, smug look.

 

“It’s good", the brunet answered. He only belatedly realized that it was the same conversation they had had about the food, their roles just reversed. It made him smile a little.

 

They watched the TV as they continued to sip their drinks, tasting the different drinks.

 

It was after the fifth one that Eren was starting to feel it. He was getting tipsy and giddy, giggling while watching the TV despite there being nothing relatively funny. Which is why Levi grabbed Eren’s half finished drink.

 

“Hey! I wasn't done yet!”, the younger whined as he tried to reach for his glass that Levi held far away from the tipsy male while his other hand pressed on Eren’s chest to keep him away.

 

“I think you’ve had enough to drink", Levi said as he tried to push Eren away.

 

When the brunet realized he couldn't get his glass back, his eyes went to Levi’s one that was sitting on the table. He grabbed it quickly and shot the liquid down.

 

“Hey!”, Levi growled when Eren tried to reach for the bottles, downing Eren’s drink before placing the glass onto the table and grabbing the one in the young man’s hands. He placed it next to the other and took ahold of the boy’s wrists.

 

The brunet wriggled around to get Levi’s hold off but it only made him lose balance, taking Levi down with him. They ended up on the floor between the couch and coffee table, Eren sitting on Levi’s lap.

 

“Hey, you need to-!”, Levi started to scold but lips pressing on his interrupted him. He tensed and his eyes widened as his buzzed mind caught up to the situation; Eren on his lap, his hands slowly creeping onto his shoulders and soft lips against his.

 

He was stunned and did the first thing his instincts told him: pushed Eren away and rather harshly.

 

The young man was shocked, his head hitting the floor as he was pushed away. He sat back up slowly with wide, nervous eyes while rubbing at the back of his head.

 

Levi didn't know how to handle the situation or what to say, so he said the first thing that came to mind.

 

“I’m straight”, he said, maybe a bit too firmly because the brunet flinched and averted his gaze before hurriedly standing up on unsteady feet.

 

“I-I’m sorry. I d-don't know what came over me. I’ll just...leave now", Eren stuttered and turned around to run towards the front door with tears falling down his face before Levi could get his thoughts in order.

 

“Wait, Eren!”, Levi called out once regained some sense and he ran after the other.

 

Eren took to the stairs, not wanting to wait for the elevator, running down the steps and stumbling a few times.

 

“Eren, wait!”, the shorter man called as he exited his apartment, running down the stairs after the brunet who was already four floors ahead of him. “Eren!”

 

Eren kept his pace up, ignoring the other calling for him. He wiped some tears from his eyes as he was reaching the ground level, not paying enough attention and ended up falling down the last few stairs.

 

“Eren, are you alright!?”, the black haired man called out as he heard the loud thud.

 

Eren didn't wait there for Levi to catch him, instead, he hoisted himself up and continued running out of the building and into the cold despite the pain. He was glad he was a bit tipsy. It dulled some of the pain of the fall but not that of his heart. _Stupid Eren! What did you do!? You made Levi hate you!_

 

He reached the bridge in a few minutes. Levi was calling for him, his voice getting closer so Eren didn't waste time. He climbed on the railing and was leaning forward but hesitated for a moment and that was enough for Levi to reach him. He grabbed his arm and pulled him back on the bridge with a quick tug, wrapping his arms around the taller’s waist to keep him from trying to climb the railing again.

 

“Let me go!”, Eren shouted as he trashed in the other’s arms, managing to hit the shorter with his elbow once but Levi still didn't loosen his hold on him.

 

He started kicking and clawing at the hands that held him still. His chest was aching, breathing hard and tears overflowing from his eyes and the close proximity to Levi didn't help. Couldn't he just handle his heartbreak alone? Levi rejected him so why did it matter to him what Eren did?

 

“Eren, calm down", Levi said gently. His hands felt like they were burning from all the scratching but he wouldn’t let go of the other.

 

“No! Let me go!”, the brunet shouted, obviously in great distress as he kept struggling.

 

“Eren, please, let's just talk-”

 

“NO!”, Eren yelled loudly as he, with his last bit of strength, tried to pry off the other’s hands before going limp in Levi’s arms. “Just leave me alone.”

 

Eren’s voice was so tiny and broken at the end of it that it made Levi’s heart ache to see the usually cheerful man reduced to such state. Maybe alcohol wasn’t the best thing to give Eren.

 

He let the brunet fall on his knees onto the ground, crouching in front of him so they were face-to-face before moving his other hand from Eren’s waist to the back of his head. He pressed the young man’s face into his shoulder as he hugged the taller tightly.

 

Eren’s arms were hanging by his side, not returning the hug, but it was fine because he could feel the boy pressing his face into his shoulder. He could also feel the tears soaking through his shirt and it was starting to get really cold without proper outerwear.

 

“Eren", Levi called softly as he caressed the other’s head, running his fingers through those still slightly damp locks of messy hair. Eren didn't react in anyway so he continued: “It's cold. We should go back inside before we get sick.”

 

“Just leave me here", Eren sobbed, his voice slightly muffled by the shorter man’s shoulder.

 

“Eren…”

 

“Why do you even care!?”, the brunet snapped as he pushed away from Levi. His eyes were red and full of tears. “No one else does so why _you_?”

 

“Eren, that can't be true. I saw the warning look that the server at your coffee shop was shooting at me. She obviously cares", Levi pointed out firmly as his hand slipped from behind Eren’s head to cup his cheek. His gaze softened when their eyes met. “And I said that I consider you as my friend. If your friends were sad or otherwise feeling bad, wouldn't you want to help them too?”

 

Eren averted his eyes, trying to wipe the seemingly endless tears away as he gave a small nod.

 

“Come on now. Let's go back and we can talk more there if you feel like it”, Levi said as he stood up, grabbing Eren by the arm to pull him up. He didn't let go until they were back inside his apartment, fearing that the brunet would run off and try to jump off the bridge again.

 

He led Eren to the couch and wrapped the blanket that was left there onto his shoulders before turning the TV on.

 

“I will get us coffee to warm us up. What do you want in yours?”, Levi asked. It was kind of weird to make coffee for a barista but he just went with it. He didn't really have anything else that could be drunk warm. Or well, he had milk but offering warm milk to Eren would seem like he was treating the younger like a baby.

 

“Anything's fine", Eren answered as he watched the moving images on the TV with a blank expression.

 

Levi shrugged and went to get the two cups of coffee ready. Eren seemed like someone with a sweet tooth and he was sure that he had heard Eren say something earlier about being able to eat a whole cake without any problem. So he added a little milk and a spoonful of sugar.

 

When he returned, Eren wasn't watching the TV anymore. He had pulled his socked feet onto the couch, his arms wrapped around his knees and face buried in his arms. His shoulders were trembling so Levi guessed he was crying again.

 

“Eren-?”

 

“Why did I have to go and fall in love with you, a straight guy?”, Eren sobbed. “Why does this always happen?”

 

“Eren, I wanted to talk about that", Levi started. Hearing the brunet say that he was in love with him had a stronger effect on him than the drunkenly shared kiss. He set the cups on the coffee table. “I’m sorry. I panicked and lied. I’m not actually straight. I’m bisexual.”

 

“Eh?” Eren raised his head to look at Levi with a disbelieving but hopeful expression. “Then-"

 

“But, Eren, I see you more as a friend", Levi said, grabbing ahold of the other’s wrist, just in case he tried to flee again, as he sat down next to him. “And even _if_ I was interested enough to date you, we barely know each other. We’ve known each other for just a few days. Besides, I’m a lot older than you.”

 

“But not too old", Eren murmured under his breath with a pout like a chastised child.

 

“Eren…”, Levi sighed as he rubbed his temples with his free hand. “Listen to the voice of reason.”

 

“I am and it says I love you", the brunet insisted, staring at the older with determination.

 

“Maybe you’re just confused. Maybe you're just mixing gratitude, longing or whatever with love”, Levi reasoned.

 

“So now you're _denying_ my feelings?”, Eren said, hurt clear in his voice and eyes.

 

“All I’m saying is to give it more time”, the short man explained. “Let's say that if even after a month you still love me, I will acknowledge your feelings. That way we have time to get to know each other better and think about our relationship. Sounds good?”

 

Eren frowned but still gave a small nod.

 

“Good", Levi said as he took the coffee cups from the table and offered the other to Eren. “Here. I added some milk and sugar for you. I hope that's fine.”

 

Eren took the warm cup and brought it to his lips to take a sip.

 

“It's okay", he said. “I like my coffee sweeter, after all. Though, I don't mind black coffee on most days.”

 

“That's good then”, Levi said before they both fell silent, watching the TV. There wasn't anything interesting really but it was something to concentrate on.

 

After they had finished their cups of coffee, Levi took them away. When he returned, he saw a glimpse of the clock on the kitchen wall.

 

_It’s over 3 AM already?_

 

He sat down on the couch next to Eren. He didn't mention going to sleep since the caffeine would still keep them awake for a while at least.

 

It was after an hour of watching some old, weird sci-fi movie that Levi felt a weight against him. When he looked to his side, he saw the younger man asleep.

 

Deciding that he was also sleepy enough by now, he turned off the TV and stood up, carefully moving Eren to a laying position on the couch. His original thought had been to let Eren sleep next to him on his king sized bed but after finding out the young man’s feelings, he thought better of that.

 

He went to his room to get a pillow for the brunet and when he came back, he carefully lifted Eren’s head and placed the soft pillow underneath. The couch wouldn't be the most comfortable thing to sleep on, especially since Eren was too tall for it, but it was better than waking up next to your crush who had just rejected you.

 

After checking that everything was in order, Levi turned the last lights off, did his night routine and went to bed, feeling surprisingly relieved to know that Eren was safely under his roof instead of at the bottom of a river.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading, commenting and leaving kudos!


	9. Breakfast And Family

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's only Friday and I'm updating my fic??? What sorcery is this???
> 
> I don't really have anything to say about this chapter so just enjoy~

It was the second time that week that Eren woke up to see an unfamiliar ceiling. It was slightly disorienting at first when he sat up on the couch and didn't quite remember where he was until his brain started to properly wake up.

 

As he took in his surroundings, he could smell food and hear faint sizzling. Slowly, he stood up, his limbs and back slightly aching from sleeping on the couch. It was quite soft but cramped and not meant for sleeping. Although, it was better than his bed.

 

It was then that he noticed the blanket and the pillow. The last thing he remembered was watching some movie but he can't remember how it ended so he must have fallen asleep during it. Then Levi must have tucked him in and brought him a pillow. The thought made him smile.

 

But his smile suddenly fell when he remembered a particular detail about the previous day.

 

_ I confessed to Levi! Stupid idiot! Why did I do it!? _

 

He covered his face with his hands as he crouched down on the ground, his face burning with shame. Embarrassment was soon mixing in when he remembered  _ kissing _ Levi, spurred on by the alcohol.

 

“Eren, what are you doing?”

 

Eren flinched at Levi’s voice, too preoccupied by his thoughts that he didn't hear the footsteps.

 

“Nothing", he answered, his voice slightly muffled as he tried his best to hide his burning face.

 

Levi wasn't convinced though. Did the boy hurt himself or…?

 

“Hangover?”, he guessed with a raised brow. He doubted it considering that Eren didn't drink enough to even be properly drunk, just tipsy.

 

“No! I wasn't that drunk!”, the brunet snapped, lifting his head to frown at the other.

 

“Your face is red. Do you have a fever?” Levi outstretched his arm out to feel Eren’s forehead but it was quickly slapped away.

 

“I’m fine! I was just thinking about yesterday, okay!?”, the young man explained, his cheeks only reddening further. He turned his head to the side so Levi wouldn't see it but he, in turn, didn't see the mischievous smirk that rose onto the older’s lips.

 

“Hmm? So a bit of alcohol is enough to turn you from a blushing virgin to a playboy?”, Levi teased, seeing the blush reach the other’s ears.

 

“What do you mean ‘playboy'!? All I did was kiss you once!”, Eren retorted as his gaze snapped back to the black haired man, glaring at him, although, the rosy cheeks softened the look a lot.

 

“But I’m sure you thought about doing more, you little perv", Levi said teasingly. He couldn't help it. It was just so easy and amusing to tease the younger man. He was relieved that they could talk normally even though he knew about the other’s feelings.

 

Eren was also thankful for that but he just wished that Levi would stop teasing him all the time. Especially, since he liked the look of that smirk on Levi’s handsome face more than he wanted to admit.

 

“I made breakfast", Levi said once the younger went quiet. The words felt weird on his tongue, but him actually _making_ _breakfast_ was even weirder. Sure, making himself the occasional sandwich in the mornings counted as making breakfast but he had used the _stove_ to _really_ make them something. And this time he didn’t only make something for himself but also for _Eren_. It was such a weird thing. But it wasn't bad. It was a nice change.

 

“What did you make?”, Eren asked curiously, his expression brightening with wonder.

 

“I made toast with scrambled eggs on top. Nothing special”, the black haired man said with a shrug like it was nothing when, in fact, he had spend a good half an hour trying to figure out what he could make for breakfast with the ingredients he had. All that effort for finding out that he could make scrambled eggs on toast… For his defense, before the previous dinner, he had barely cooked anything for years and therefore hadn’t really thought of possible recipes for a breakfast.

 

As he thought about the reason why he hadn't touched his stove all that much, he remembered that he hadn't informed Erwin that he would take a second day off.

 

_ Fuck it _ .  _ Mr. Massive Eyebrows should’ve figured it out by now that I’m not coming to work today. _

 

But that reminded him…

 

“Is your coffee shop going to be okay? You weren't there at all yesterday”, Levi asked as they sat down at the table where he had set two plates of food and two cups of coffee along with a carton of milk, bowl of sugar and salt and pepper shakers.

 

“Probably. It’s not like a lot of people go there in the first place", Eren said as he took a bite of his toasted bread, humming in satisfaction at the taste.

 

“But what about that server?”, Levi asked as he sipped his coffee.

 

Eren frowned. “Levi, it’s almost starting to sound like you’re trying to set me up with her", he said as he stilled in pouring milk into his coffee. “I’m just going to let you know that I’m 100% gay and I’m pretty sure that Mikasa is a woman.”

 

“Hmm...Does she know that?”, Levi asked as he bit into his piece of toast.

 

“I’m pretty sure Mikasa knows she’s a woman", Eren said.

 

Levi sighed and he wanted to facepalm but suppressed the urge.

 

“Not _ that _ , you idiot", he said incredulously. Was this kid actually  _ that  _ dumb? “Does she know that you're gay?”

 

“Of course not. Only people that I’ve dated know", Eren answered before adding as an afterthought: “And you.”

 

“Well, aren't I special", Levi said with a roll of his eyes.

 

“But why do you ask?”, the brunet asked suspiciously before his eyes widened. “Don't tell me that you-”

 

“No, I’m not interested in her", Levi sighed. “I just thought whether or not you’ve noticed the way she looks at you.”

 

“She has confessed to me, yes, if that's what you're trying to say. But, of course, I rejected her”, the young man explained. “And this was before I even realized I was gay. Though, even if I wasn't, I wouldn't date Mikasa because she’s more like a sister to me.”

 

“Then when  _ did  _ you realize you were gay?”, Levi asked before taking another sip of his coffee.

 

“What is this? The 21 questions game?”, Eren asked back instead of answering, an eyebrow raised as he watched the other man with amusement.

 

“Getting to know each other better. Isn't that what we agreed on yesterday? Or today in the small hours, I guess”, Levi answered with a shrug as he resumed eating his breakfast.

 

“So you were serious?”, Eren asked incredulously as he just stared at the short man in front of him with wide eyes.

 

Levi arched a brow. “And you weren't?”

 

“No, that’s not what I meant!”, the brunet corrected hastily, waving his arms in front of him. “Of course, I was serious. I just thought that you were just trying to...I don't know...appease a drunk person?”

 

“Eren, I’m not someone who lies to comfort or ‘appease' someone else”, the black haired man explained as he crossed his arms over his chest. “I meant what I said. We get to know each other better and then watch where our relationship will go from there.”

 

A smile rose slowly on Eren’s face as he turned back to his food, Levi following his example.

 

The rest of their breakfast was spend in silence. It was only when they were placing their dishes into the dishwasher that Eren spoke again.

 

“I was at a party when I truly realized that I was gay", he started explaining. “I hadn't really had any interest in girls but I always told myself that it was because of stress and school and that I was still too immature and childish-”

 

“Well, you still are so I can't see how you figured anything out", Levi commented as they went to sit on the couch.

 

“Hey! I’m not childish or immature! I’m an adult!”, Eren insisted.

 

“Sure", Levi said sarcastically. “I doubt it.”

 

The brunet huffed as a pout formed on his face. He wanted to keep arguing but felt like that would only prove Levi's point so he just kept his remarks to himself instead.

 

“So yeah, I was at a party. It was at my friend’s friend’s house so I barely knew anyone there. We got drunk-"

 

“Wait, how old were you?”, Levi asked.

 

Eren glared at him for interrupting but still answered. “I was fifteen.”

 

The short man send him a disapproving look.

 

“Hey, don’t look at me like that! I bet you drank when you were a minor too!”, Eren defended. “Besides, I didn't buy the drinks! The older kids brought them!”

 

“I didn't start drinking until I was twenty", Levi said.

 

“Well, whatever”, Eren said as he threw his arms up in exasperation. “Aren’t you just a boring old man?”

 

“And who confessed to this ‘boring old man’ yesterday, I wonder?”, Levi hummed.

 

The brunet spluttered, trying to think of a retort to that. When he couldn’t think of anything he just ran his hands through his hair before continuing his story.

 

“So, yeah, we got drunk when we were  _ fifteen. _ There was this guy that was a year older than me and...one thing led to another and yeah, we kind of fucked in the host’s bedroom.”

 

Eren’s face was red and he was scratching the back of his head sheepishly. Why did he decide it was a good idea to tell this to his crush?

 

“But you were drunk? I’ve heard of a lot of straight people having sex with the same gender while drunk so I can't see how that led to any ‘awakening’", Levi questioned with a raised brow.

 

“I wasn't  _ that _ drunk", the young man explained. “I...It just kind of made me...horny? Arrgh! Why do I have explain  _ this _ !? It's so embarrassing!”, he lamented before sighing. “A few drunk girls approached me but I rejected them. However, when he came up to me, started talking to me and asked if I wanted to, you know,  _ do it _ I said yes. And yeah that's it.”

 

“So alcohol turns on your gay switch is what I’m learning”, Levi said with a chuckle.

 

Eren snorted as he rolled his eyes. “So what about you?”

 

“What about me?”

 

“How did you realize you were bisexual?”, Eren clarified before narrowing his eyes. “I told you my story so you better tell me yours.”

 

“I didn't have some sudden enlightenment or something. I just kind of always looked at guys and girls the same way ever since things like love and sex started to become interesting”, Levi said with a shrug.

 

“That’s boring”, Eren said with fake disappointment.

 

“Well, sorry for not being a weird, horny brat like you", Levi retorted as he rolled his eyes.

 

“Hey!”, Eren yelled. “I’m a healthy young adult! I have needs!”

 

Levi almost said that there was no way Eren was healthy when he self-harmed and wanted to kill himself every once in a while, but he managed to hold his tongue and just scoffed instead.

 

They fell into silence so Levi decided to turn on the TV. He liked silence but Eren didn't seem to be as fine with it as he started to fidget around nervously on the couch. Levi briefly wondered why Eren was still there in the first place. It wasn't like he wanted the brunet to leave, he actually felt calm and relaxed in his presence, but he wondered why Eren wanted to stay there.

 

Levi remembered the young man saying that his mother had passed away but what about the rest of his family? His father? Siblings? Did he even have any?

 

“Do you have any siblings?”, he decided to ask, surprising the other.

 

Eren blinked at him before his brain could process the sudden question.

 

“Why…?”, he asked back warily instead of answering.

 

“Just curious", Levi answered with a shrug.

 

“I do", Eren said bit a hint of hesitation. “I have an older half-brother.” He paused, his lips pulling into frown. “...And a younger half-sister…”

 

“You don't seem too happy about your sister? Jealous?”, Levi teased.

 

“Like hell”, Eren snorted. “I have nothing against her. I haven't actually even met her properly. It’s just…” He sighed as he leaned his head back to look at the ceiling. He briefly noticed that there was a ceiling fan. Not that it had any importance whatsoever but it was just something he noticed. “It's complicated.”

 

“Hmm? Well, we have time since you don't seem to be in a hurry anywhere”, the black haired man pointed out.

 

The younger’s eyes widened. “Oh, fuck. You have work today, don't you? And I’m here bothering you. I should just-"

 

“Calm down, Eren", Levi said as he grabbed a tanned wrist, feeling the scars, which peeked from under the long sleeves of Eren’s shirt, underneath his fingers and pulled the panicky male back down onto the couch before he could run out of the door  _ again _ .

 

“But-"

 

“I took today off.” It was partially a lie since he didn't exactly inform his boss and just stayed home. “Don't worry about it and tell me more about the thing with your little sister.”

 

Eren somewhat relaxed back into the couch, but the older man didn't dare to let go of his wrist just yet when the young man’s shoulders were tensed and he looked ready to run away any minute now.

 

“The problem is more about my father than Adelia- umm...my half-sister. Adelia is her name", Eren explained hesitantly. It seemed like he really didn't want to talk about this. Levi wasn’t going to keep pushing Eren to open up but he wasn't going to stop the younger either.

 

“Your father?”, Levi urged.

 

“Yes, he...umm...so like...I have an older half-brother, Zeke", Eren started. “So my father had him with his first wife, but she passed away. He met my mother and well, got married and had me. They started having too many disagreements and fights so they divorced when I was ten. After a few years I heard that he got married again to his current wife and they had Adelia two years ago.”

 

“And?”, Levi prompted. He knew there was more to it. When the brunet hesitated, biting into his bottom lip, he started to rub circles into Eren’s wrist with his thumb to encourage him.

 

“M-my mother...she p-passed away two years ago because of cancer", Eren explained, tears starting to form in his eyes from both sadness and anger. He took a deep breath to calm down a little, urged on my the gentle fingers around his wrist keeping him grounded and steady. “It was around a week after her… after her funeral. Dad called. He wanted me to come live with them.” Rage bubbled up from Eren’s chest as he bit into his lip to keep himself from raising his voice. “He hadn't even tried contacting me in  _ years _ , but when mom was ‘out of the way’,  _ then _ he calls me. Then he suddenly  _ cares. _ ”

 

Eren was crying at the end, trying to muffle his sobs behind tightly closed lips and wiping his tears with his sleeve- with the sleeve of Levi’s shirt, but the older didn't care right now as he pulled the young brunet into an embrace.

 

“Shhh...breathe, Eren", Levi said softly as he stroked the other’s head, his fingers occasionally getting tangled in the chocolatey hair, trying to soothe him.

 

Eren cried into Levi’s shoulder, his arms wrapping a bit too tightly around the shorter man’s ribs. Levi didn't comment about it as he continued to try to soothe the young man. But the thing was that he had no idea what to say. He wasn’t good with words so he just stayed quiet, hoping that his actions would be comforting enough.

 

“Dad says that I should attend university and just sell the coffee shop”, the brunet continued once he had calmed down a little, but Levi could still feel cooling tears drop onto his shoulder where Eren was hiding his face. “H-he wants to just- He w-wants me to just- just  _ forget _ mom. He wants me to get rid of one of the very f-few things left of- left of her.”

 

Eren was breathing hard and hiccuping, his voice muffled by Levi’s shoulder, but the other heard him. He tightened his hold on the young man.

 

“You're an adult. He can't control your life”, Levi declared. “Those are your decisions to make. It’s  _ your _ life.”

 

Eren didn't comment on that but Levi could feel his gratitude and relief as clear as day in the tightening of the hold around him.

 

_ Someone understands. _

 

The young man kept crying softly until he ran out of tears and energy to cry any longer. With last few sobs and sniffles he had gone limp with the emotional exhaustion in Levi's arms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those of you who don't like OC's in fanfics: don't worry. They won't be appearing more than as mentions probably and even then I won't mention them much.
> 
> Anyway, thanks for reading, leaving a comment and kudos! I appreciate it!


	10. Dusty Air And Wilted Flowers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, everyone! I'm back with another chapter! Since this is a bit shorter chapter than usual, I managed to read it quickly and therefore you're getting the chapter now already! But 10 chapters already? Wow! I've been writing this a lot and fast!
> 
> Enjoy~

Eren stayed at Levi's apartment until dinner. It was already dark outside by the time they finished their meal so Levi insisted on walking the younger home. He found out that Eren lived in the small apartment on top of the coffee shop.

 

While the building looked bad from the outside, inside the coffee shop was nice and cozy so Levi had assumed the apartment would be the same but he was very wrong. The ‘apartment’ upstairs was nothing like an actual apartment. It was more like a neglected storage room with a short wall in the middle that separated two ‘rooms’. The paint on the walls had peeled off in places, the floor was creaky and the ceiling lamp was missing, the only light coming from the streetlights through the cracked windows. It was cold and dim and the air was heavy with dust. There was barely any furniture and even then all of them were covered by a layer of dust.

 

Except for one piece of furniture: a small side table that looked old but it was clearly being cleaned and taken care of. Levi could guess why as he saw the pictures of a young Eren with a woman,  _ Eren’s mother _ , Levi assumed. There was also a blue and white vase that had seemingly broken once and been glued back together. In it were flowers that were close to wilting but they still seemed better than anything else in the room.

 

“Sorry, I don't really have anything up here to offer as thanks", Eren said apologetically as he glanced around his sorry excuse of an apartment hesitantly. “I could make you coffee downstairs though if you'd like?”

 

“Where do you sleep?”, Levi asked instead of answering as he looked around. It couldn’t be somewhere up here, right?

 

Eren blinked at him in confusion but still led Levi to other side of the short wall in the middle of the room. “Here?”

 

Levi took the few steps that he needed to see the ‘other room’. A frown pulled at his lips at what he saw. The window was broken, a cloth taped on the hole in a poor attempt to keep the cold air out. The “bed” was just a flat mattress with a blanket and a pillow.

 

Levi imagined Eren sleeping here on a cold winter night, shivering and shaking. Fuck, Levi had his jacket on and he could still feel the chill.

 

“You don't actually sleep here, do you?”, he asked. There really was no way-

 

“I do”, the brunet said, though his face was pulled into grimace as he compared his apartment to Levi's in his mind. Yeah, it was quite a contrast, wasn’t it?

 

“You can’t be serious”, Levi sighed as he looked at the other who continued to stare at him with a serious face. He ran a hand over his face and hair before he turned to look at the younger with a furrowed brow. “Why don’t you sleep downstairs?”

 

“There's no place to sleep and I can't drag something like  _ that- _ " he pointed to the mattress. “-down there.”

 

Eren had a point but it did nothing to please Levi. Eren could get badly sick here. He could  _ die _ here. He could freeze to death just like he almost did at the bridge. But here no one would see it and save him in time.

 

“How long has this been like  _ this _ ?”, Levi asked, gesturing to their surroundings.

 

“It was already bad when we bought the coffee shop and moved here with my mother. We lived at a small house with my father and brother so she only renovated the coffee shop and left this as it was. When they divorced, we moved here. She did what she could to tidy it up here a little but it always remained a little shabby”, Eren explained with a shrug, his eyes downcast as he was reminded of his mother. “After a while she got sick and later…” He paused, swallowing, but Levi understood what he was too afraid to say _. _

 

“So the place fell apart?”, Levi guessed.

 

“...Yes" Eren nodded. “I had to finish school so I didn't have as much time to work and so all money that I could earn was spent on food and bills. I even had to sell a lot of our belongings to sustain the coffee shop”, he explained. “And this is the end result.”

 

“What happened with the window?”, Levi inquired, eyeing the broken window.

 

Eren scratched the back of his head awkwardly. “Some kids threw a ball through it around a year ago”, he said. “They broke the window and also the vase that is now in the other…’room’.”

 

“Why didn't you ask their parents to compensate for it?”, the older asked with a raised eyebrow.

 

Eren shrugged and he had a sad, lost expression on his face. “I don't know. I saw the terrified looks on the kids’ faces...I just couldn’t do it...And I didn’t really feel like it mattered much back then. I thought I wouldn’t, I don’t know, last much longer?”

 

Levi understood what Eren meant despite the feeling of not wanting to think about it. So Eren has been feeling suicidal and depressed for at least over a year now? But he was still going. He still hadn't completely given up and Levi wanted to make sure he never did.

 

With his mind made up, he grabbed onto Eren’s wrist and started to pull him towards the door that led to the stairs.

 

“Let's go", he said as he tugged on the arm.

 

“Go where?”, Eren asked, looking at the back of Levi’s head as he was dragged down the stairs behind the short man.

 

“Back to my place", Levi answered as he pushed the back door of the building open and led Eren out. “I won't let you rot there any longer.”

 

“Huh? What do you mean?”, the brunet asked, baffled as he furrowed his brow.

 

“I mean that you will be staying with me until we’ve done something about that place", Levi explained as he tugged the other towards his apartment.

 

“Wha-? I don't have the money to-!”

 

“But I do", Levi interrupted.

 

Eren’s eyes widened. “You can’t possibly be thinking-”

 

“Yes, I am", Levi interrupted yet again. “I’ve already once had to experience you on a hospital bed and I rather not go through that again so just spare me the trouble.”

 

Eren fell silent and Levi got worried so he looked back to the younger man. He was hanging his head so Levi couldn't see his expression.

 

“Eren?”

 

“If I’m that much trouble, why won't you just leave me alone?”, the brunet asked so softly that Levi almost missed it.

 

“Eren, that's-”

 

“I don’t need your pity and charity!”, Eren shouted as he yanked his wrist free from the other’s grasp. “I’m not your responsibility! If you don't want me around just say so instead of giving me false hope!”

 

Levi’s eyes were wide, surprised by the sudden outburst. He took a careful step forwards and slowly reached his hand out to touch Eren’s but it was quickly slapped away as the brunet backed away from him.

 

“Don’t touch me!”, Eren shouted. He felt trapped even though nothing else was blocking him but Levi. He could just turn around and run back home.

 

_ ‘Home’? Where is that? _

 

But he couldn't do it. He could only take a small step back. It was like Levi was a magnet, constantly pulling him in. He could only resist the pull but not escape it. And that scared him because he wasn't pulling Levi in. He was keeping Eren at a distance, not allowing him to get too close, but wasn’t it too late for that when Eren was hopelessly in love with this short man?

 

“Eren", Levi started carefully, his voice soft and tender as he kept his distance, not trying to chase the other. Levi found it unnerving how Eren was out of his reach and could just easily run away. “I didn't mean that you were troublesome. How many times do I have to repeat myself? I want to help you because I  _ care _ . Not because of responsibility or some stupid shit like that.”

 

“You're just saying that…”, Eren mumbled as he looked at the ground. The moisture on the pavement had frozen and created patches of black ice.

 

“If our positions were switched, if I lived in a place like that where I could freeze to death or get really badly ill, would you just leave me there?”, Levi asked, crossing his arms.

 

Eren's head snapped up quickly. “No! Of course not!”

 

“Then it should be clear why I’m doing this", the older said before resuming his walk towards his apartment. He walked briskly but took shorter steps than normally. His heart was racing, waiting to hear hurried footsteps follow him. He didn't so he turned around.

 

“Come on! Let's go, Eren!”, he urged when he noticed the young man standing still.

 

Eren bit his lip. He wanted to follow Levi, give into that draw, but he also wanted to just run away. However, before he could make a decision, he heard shoes tapping against the frozen asphalt and suddenly there was a familiar pull on his wrist. He gave into that pull.

 

Levi didn't say anything. He just heaved a relieved sigh as he led Eren back to the warmth of his apartment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so so much for all the comments and kudos~! I always appreciate them~! It let's me know that people are enjoying reading my work!


	11. Questions And No Regrets

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, everyone! I'm back with a new chapter! This is the longest fic I've written so far and we're not even close to the halfway mark! I'm really loving all the support! I've been enjoying all of the nice comments and we're already at over 200 kudos! That's amazing! Thank you so much!
> 
> Now I'm not going to keep you here any longer with my blabbering! Enjoy~!

Levi went to work the next day while he left Eren sleeping at his apartment. He felt a bit nervous about leaving the brunet alone but he couldn't supervise an adult man 24/7.

 

Eren was also going back to work today but it wasn’t until around an hour later that he had to go prepare for opening the coffee shop for the day, although, Levi guessed that the young barista would need more time for the preparations now that he had been away for a while.

 

Levi let Eren sleep next to him on the bed. It was risky considering Eren’s feelings. Of course, he wasn't afraid that the young man was going to attack him in his sleep. He was afraid that Eren would get his hopes up when Levi wasn't sure if he would ever see Eren the same way that he saw Levi.

 

Eren was a friend to Levi. A special kind of friend but still just a friend. Sure, he found Eren cute and attractive but he wouldn’t want to kiss him or make love to him….would he? The more time he spent with the young man, the more he saw, the more he started to question what he felt for Eren. But it was alright. He had time to figure it out.

 

* * *

 

Levi should’ve expected his co-workers to be all over him when he returned to work so he wasn't surprised when Hanji and few of his subordinates, Petra, Oluo, Eld and Gunther, jumped at him the very second he stepped out of the elevator.

 

“Levi, where were you!?”

 

“Levi, are you okay!?”

 

“What happened!? You skipped work!”

 

“Are you hurt? Sick? Maybe you should go back home to rest some more?”

 

“Hey, Levi, you finally got yourself a lover?”

 

Everyone turned to look at Hanji because of their comment; Levi with a glare, the rest with wide eyes before they turned back to their superior.

 

“Levi, you can’t neglect work for a woman!”

 

“I’m so happy for you!”

 

“You have to introduce us, Levi! We need to confirm that she’s good for you!”

 

“What is she like? She must be super beautiful, right?”

 

Levi’s eye was twitching as the questions were hurled at him. He continued to glare at the brunette that was responsible for the new array of questions but the brunette only seemed happy with themself. He pinched the bridge of his nose as he let out a tired sigh. He comes to work after a few mostly peaceful days to this? He should never again take days off if this was the end result. Or well, he should never  _ skip work _ again since he didn’t ask for the days off after all...

 

“I don't have a girlfriend”, he informed tiredly. He saw Hanji opening their mouth so he added: “Or a boyfriend.”

 

Hanji closed their mouth with a pout like a rebuked child.

 

“Then what happened? It's rare for you to miss work!”, Petra pointed out.

 

“It’s not rare. It's nonexistent. You  _ never _ skip work", Eld corrected.

 

“I was taking care of a brat", Levi said without thinking. He should've phrased that differently or not mention Eren at all.

 

“Y-you have a child!?”, Oluo yelled, everyone on the floor hearing it and soon there were murmuring all around them.

 

“Levi, since when!?”

 

“With who!?”

 

“Can all of you just calm down!?”, Levi shouted, silence falling over the whole floor. He let out a sigh as he looked around him. Everyone else turned back to work as his eyes swept over the room. “I will explain it to Mr. Eyebrows and you at the same time, okay?”

 

With that Levi pushed through the group towards Erwin’s office. He knocked once but didn't wait for an answer as he pulled the door open, finding Erwin typing on his computer. His eyes met Levi’s and those bushy eyebrows rose in surprise.

 

“Levi, where have you been?”, Erwin asked calmly as a disapproving frown found its way to his lips. He looked like a disappointed father that caught his son sneaking into the house in the middle of the night, way past curfew.

 

“That's what I’m here to explain.” The short man rolled his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest.

 

Hanji waltzed in confidently after Levi but the rest of the group looked unsure whether they could cross the threshold as they stood outside the office, looking through the doorway.

 

“You can enter. You also deserve an explanation, I believe", Erwin permitted.

 

The group of people entered, following Hanji to the couch on the side while Levi took the chair in front of Erwin’s desk.

 

“So?”, the blond man prompted, lacing his hand together on the desk in front of him as he closed his laptop and moved it aside.

 

“I was taking care of someone so I couldn't come to work”, Levi explained tersely as he leaned back in the chair with his arms and legs crossed, looking like he owned the place.

 

Erwin’s massive brows furrowed. “You were...taking care of someone?” Levi nodded in response which didn’t ease the blond man’s confusion. Did his mother get sick? Was he taking care of her? Who else could it be?

 

“He was taking care of a kid!”, Hanji piped in, making the short man scowl and glare at them. Levi felt like Hanji just wanted to stir shit up.

 

“A kid?”, Erwin asked with a raised brow.

 

“I said  _ a brat _ , not a kid. He's 19-”

 

“ _ 19!? _ You got someone pregnant when you were  _ 15!? _ ”, Petra exclaimed, looking horrified and pale.

 

“Did she dump him with you!? She did, didn't she!?”, Oluo shouted.

 

Erwin was rubbing between his brows, an almost pained expression on his face while the group sitting on the couch kept firing loud questions at Levi frantically.

 

“Everyone, just calm down and let Levi explain", the blond said, his voice firm and the command clear.

 

Everyone immediately quieted down at that, staring at Levi with wide, expectant eyes. They looked like kids waiting to hear a story. Why did it feel like he was surrounded by brats suddenly? He wasn’t  _ that  _ old yet, right?

 

Levi sighed. “I told Hanji about him a while ago. I stopped some brat from jumping off a bridge a few days ago. One thing led to another and now he’s staying with me", he explained, keeping it short and not revealing too much. Eren definitely wouldn’t be happy to know that he was telling about his situation to strangers.

 

“Oh! That boy from the coffee shop?”, Hanji said. “I tried to go see him yesterday and the day before that but the coffee shop was closed.”

 

Levi sighed. That’s it for not revealing too much. Though, getting someone else’s opinion on his situation could really help. He had no idea what he was supposed to do with some suicidal kid-

 

_ Eren. His name is Eren. He’s not just some unknown brat. _

 

“So you took time off to take care of him and now he’s staying at your apartment?”, Erwin checked.

 

“Exactly what I said", Levi said with a blank face.

 

“Did you just leave him alone in your apartment?”, Eld asked. “Isn’t that risky?”

 

“Yeah, what if he steals from you? You never know with those kinds of people", Oluo added.

 

“What do you mean ‘those kinds of people’?”, Petra asked with a frown.

 

“Yeah, what  _ do  _ you mean?”, Hanji asked, glaring at Oluo.

 

“I-I just meant that since he’s suicidal, why should he care about the law and-", he tried to explain, biting his tongue in the middle of it.

 

Hanji took a deep inhale before opening their mouth to obviously scold the light brown haired man, before Erwin spoke.

 

“I will discuss this more with just Levi. The rest of you can leave and…” He glanced between Hanji and Oluo. “...settled your differences on your own.”

 

With that the rest of the group was dismissed, Hanji just barely holding back from starting their lecture right then and there. Once the door was shut, Levi could hear the brunette’s muffled voice through the door. He let out a sigh as he focused back on Erwin, leaning back in his chair.

 

“So what more do we have to discuss? I told you already why I missed work. Should be enough", Levi said.

 

“That part is settled already.”

 

“Then what the fuck-"

 

“But now I want to talk to you, not as your boss, but as your friend", Erwin interrupted, a serious look on his face. “Levi, this is not like you.”

 

“What is?”, Levi asked. He knew full well what his boss was talking about but he also knew that this all, helping some random kid and skipping work, wasn't like him at all. He didn't need to be reminded.

 

“I haven't seen you take interest in other people probably since university”, the blond said.

 

“I haven't taken interest in anyone, Erwin”, Levi snapped, a frown creeping onto his face.

 

“I didn't mean a romantic interest but interest in people  _ in general _ ”, Erwin clarified, leaning back in his chair. “I haven't seen you even bat an eye before when people unknown to you die.” He paused. “Even if it was your friend’s close friend or family member.”

 

That sentence made Levi tense in his chair. “You know I was genuinely sad for you and Hanji-"

 

“I know but to you her death meant nothing is what I’m getting at. Because she was outside the walls you have built up", Erwin explained.

 

Levi wanted to refute him, say that he’s wrong. But when had he ever fooled Erwin? So he stayed quiet, not knowing what to answer or what Erwin wanted him to say.

 

The bigger man sighed. “I didn't mean to guilt trip you or anything. My point is, why did you help this boy?”, he asked.

 

Levi was prepared to snap and shout at his boss but he paused. Why  _ did  _ he help Eren? Why didn't he just leave him on the bridge? Eren had been just a stranger with no relations to him. Just someone who he may have read about on the news the next day if Eren’s body was ever found in the first place.

 

Now the thought of that hurt. It hurt to think about Eren on the bridge. It hurt to think about Eren falling. It hurt to think about Eren drowning. It hurt to think about Eren  _ dying _ .

 

It hurt to think about the news that would follow:  _ Young man found dead. The police suspects suicide. _

 

“Levi-?”

 

“I don’t know”, Levi finally answered with a shrug as a small, sad smile rose onto his face. “I don't know why I did it but I know that I don't regret doing so.”

 

Erwin observed his friend silently for a short moment, his expression unreadable before a fond smile tugged at his lips.

 

“Very well", he said as he grabbed his laptop and reopened it.

 

Levi took that as his sign to leave. He stood up but before he could exit, the blond called out to him.

 

“I’m happy for you.”

 

Levi didn't know what Erwin was referring to but he didn't stay to question it as the other turned back to his work.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and kudos are always appreciated! ^w^ Thank you for reading~!


	12. Cigarette Smoke And Chicken Soup

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, everyone! I'm here with a new chapter~! I hope everyone had a great Halloween!
> 
> Enjoy~!

Levi was half-expecting to find Eren on the bridge, dreading the sight, but he felt relieved at seeing the brunet’s usual spot empty. However, that relief was short-lived as a thought crossed his mind.  _ What if he was too late? _

 

He didn't waste time. He took off running towards his apartment, wishing that he would find Eren there. He didn't stop running until he was in front of his door, taking a deep breath as he unlocked the door.

 

The first thing that hit him was the delicious scent of food wafting from the kitchen. Second thing he noticed were the familiar worn out shoes tossed to the side carelessly and the relief was back. Eren was here and not on the bottom of a river or on a river bank, cold and unmoving.

 

“Eren?”, Levi called. He suddenly had to urge to add ‘I'm home’ but decided against it. It felt like a whole new level of intimacy that they didn't possess.

 

“Welcome home!”, Eren called and that was it about the intimacy of their relationship.

 

Levi rolled his eyes as he went to find the brunet. He entered his bedroom and his eyes widened. He rushed forward, pushing his balcony door open wider as he quickly grabbed Eren by the waist, pulling him down from the railing of the balcony.

 

Eren let out a yelp as he was suddenly pulled back, dropping the cigarette in his hand. He looked up as he was sat down onto the floor and saw Levi standing behind him.

 

“Wha-?”

 

“What the hell were you thinking!?”, Levi yelled.

 

Eren tensed as he shrunk back. He was confused by the other’s sudden anger. What did he do wrong?

 

“I-I was just-”

 

“Just what!? Thinking about jumping!?”, Levi continued to shout, causing both fear and anger to rise in Eren.

 

“I wasn't-!”

 

“You do know that there is hard pavement at the bottom? Oh, and that we’re  _ 10 storeys high _ ”, Levi scolded, not listening to what the boy had to say. “You may not even die from it! At least, not quickly. How do you feel about suffering in pain, all of your fucking bones probably broken, for who knows how many hours before you either get help or die a slow and painful death!?”

 

Levi was gritting his teeth and breathing heavily after his outburst. He heard his heartbeat in his ears, muffling all other sounds.

 

Eren was silent. Levi thought that he was mulling over his words and reflecting on his actions. However, he quickly realized he was wrong as Eren raised his voice.

 

“What the fuck is your problem!?”, he shouted as he stood up and faced Levi properly. “If you would just fucking listen, you would know that I was just taking a smoke out here while I waited for you to come back!”

 

“Why did you sit on the fucking railing then!?”, Levi yelled back.

 

“There was nowhere else to sit!”

 

“You could've dragged some chair here or just stood!”, Levi argued.

 

“I’m tired! You think I have energy to stand while I smoke a few cigarettes!?”, Eren asked, exasperated.

 

“ _ A few _ cigarettes!? You smoke  _ multiple _ in a row!?”

 

“Yeah!? So what!?”

 

“Do you not understand the health risk of-!?”

 

“Can you two shut up!?”, a voice called from the balcony of the apartment underneath them. “If you don't, I will have to tell the landlord!”

 

They both quieted down immediately. After a while they heard a door close beneath them and assumed the other person had gone back inside.

 

“We should go inside too. It's cold", Levi suggested, his voice soft and mellow, a total opposite to before.

 

Eren could only nod before following the other back to the warmth. They walked into the kitchen in silence, Levi seemingly fine with it, but Eren playing with the hem of his shirt. He had on the clothes Levi had washed for him since he didn't have his other clothes with him there. He probably should get some change of clothes from his apartment unless Levi was going to kick him out after that outburst…

 

“You made dinner?”, Levi asked as he looked into the pot on the stove.

 

“Yeah, sorry, I wasn't sure if it would be overstepping the boundaries”, Eren answered softly. “I just...you're letting me stay so I wanted to do  _ something _ .”

 

“It’s actually quite nice to have a warm, homemade meal ready. Thank you", Levi replied, a small smile on his face as he turned to look at the brunet. “Chicken soup?”

 

Eren nodded. “There was some leftover chicken but not really much else so I had to do something simple.”

 

Levi noticed that Eren was averting his gaze and talking unusually softly. He could guess why.

 

“I’m sorry for yelling at you, Eren", Levi said with a sigh. “I just got... _ scared _ . Please, don't sit on the railing again. You might fall.”

 

“Sorry...But I promise, I wasn't really thinking about jumping!”, the young man assured. “I promised I would call you if I did want to...you know...didn't I?”

 

Levi nodded slowly. Eren had been open about a lot of very personal things so Levi trusted him to be honest which was one of the things that made him so likeable. But he couldn't trust him to keep a promise.

 

Eren was... _ sick _ , for the lack of a better word, and very obviously so despite his attempts to hide it. And Levi worried what the sickness would make Eren do at times. He already obviously cut himself purposely and thought about killing himself. The excessive smoking and drinking could also be a result of it.

 

“You didn't come by the shop today?”, Eren asked, snapping the older out of his thoughts, as he poured some of the soup into two bowls.

 

“Yeah, I had to work on something through lunch break so I couldn't leave", Levi sighed. “My caffeine addiction is getting worse because of you.”

 

“And what have I done?”, Eren asked with an offended expression, his brow furrowed.

 

“You've made some damn great coffee", Levi answered with a hint of a grin. “It makes the coffee at work taste like mud water in comparison.”

 

Eren blinked once before he burst out laughing, placing the bowls down onto the counter so he wouldn't spill them. He covered his mouth with the back of his hand in embarrassment when he accidentally let out a small snort in the middle of his laughter. His cheeks gained a little bit of a pinkish color.

 

“You don't have to be embarrassed”, Levi chuckled. “It was kind of cute and quirky.”

 

If the blush was hard to see previously, now it was on full display, even Eren’s ears gaining color.

 

“You shouldn't say that", he mumbled. “Also, is that supposed to make me  _ less _ embarrassed? Because it’s not working.”

 

Levi chuckled with a shrug as he grabbed the bowls and carried them to the dining table. Eren followed him to the table after getting spoons and glasses for the both of them. He set them onto the table as Levi went to the fridge.

 

“Milk, juice or water?”, he asked as he looked inside.

 

“Wine, let's make it fancy", Eren called playfully. It was weird how quickly their little ‘argument’ vanished. It was almost like it never happened and that was messing with Eren’s head.

 

“I’m not giving you alcohol ever again, you brat", Levi said, rolling his eyes at the whine Eren let out at his decision. “Milk it is then.”

 

“Fine", the brunet groaned as he slumped onto his seat. He sat up straighter once Levi set the milk on the table. “Oh, I forgot to say that I made coffee for you. I can get you a cup if you want.”

 

“Thanks, but I will drink some after dinner”, Levi said as Eren started to get up.

 

He had been so preoccupied with worrying about Eren that he completely forgot about his need for some caffeine. Even now, sitting down with the boy, he felt no immediate need for a warm cup of coffee when normally he couldn't function properly after work before getting more caffeine in his system. Though, he wouldn't mind a cup of Eren’s coffee right now. Unfortunately, he would have to wait until tomorrow for that.

 

“I was thinking that I should probably bring some of my clothes here if I’m staying here for a while", Eren said before taking a spoonful of soup, blowing it carefully so it wouldn’t be too hot.

 

Levi nodded. “We should also start thinking what to do with your apartment and the coffee shop. I know you must want to keep the coffee shop’s interior the same but if there’s mold in the walls, the whole building will have to be demolished and rebuilt”, he said before tasting the soup, humming approvingly afterwards. “This is good, by the way.”

 

“Thanks", Eren mumbled as he looked down to his bowl. “And I know that it may have to be rebuilt. It's for the sake of the customers also so I can't complain. But the money…”

 

“With my income, money shouldn't be a problem and I can always get a loan", Levi said with a shrug as he took a sip of milk.

 

“But there's no way I can inconvenience you like that, Levi!”, Eren insisted. “And there's no way I could ever pay that much money back especially since I still have to pay you back for my hospital bill.”

 

“Don't worry about it", the older said, waving his hand. When Eren opened his mouth to protest more, he added: “But if it bothers you so much, let's make a deal.”

 

“What is it?”

 

“You will make dinner and help me with housework like cleaning and laundry as repayment”, Levi suggested.

 

“Of course! I would've done those just for letting me stay here", Eren said thoughtfully. “There must be something else I can also do.”

 

“No, that's enough”, Levi assured. “I haven't had homemade meals in years. You have no idea how grateful I am to have you here to cook dinner. I really appreciate it.”

 

“Is that so?”, Eren hummed before a smile rose onto his lips. “Okay, but if you ever need something that I can help with, please, tell me.”

 

“I will", Levi promised.

 

And with that they turned back to their dinner, Levi asking Eren about his day, the brunet happily retelling all the interesting parts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading~ Comments and kudos are always appreciated! ^u^


	13. Sleepless Nights And A Blueberry Muffin

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, everyone! I'm here with a new chapter and dear god, it's massive! Over 4000 words! Okay, I know I couldn't separated it into two chapters but I would've needed to change the chapter number on the other chapters after this and there's like 20 more chapters so yeah, not gonna do that.
> 
> So enjoy this massive chapter~

Eren has stayed with Levi for little over a week now and he has started to notice some things about Levi. First of all, the short man seemed to suffer from insomnia. Eren was quite a deep sleeper so he wasn’t sure how many times it had happened since he had been there but there were a couple of nights that he would wake up to find Levi gone, either just out of the bedroom or even out of the apartment.

 

The first time it happened was two days after Eren had ‘moved’ into Levi’s apartment. Eren was woken up by the front door closing. He was so sleepy, barely able to keep his bleary eyes open as he searched the cause of the noise. It was then that he noticed that Levi wasn’t sleeping next to him.

 

They still slept on the same bed. Levi had originally planned on getting Eren his own bed in the apartment but realized he didn't have space for one. Eren also insisted that Levi shouldn't waste even more money on him and offered to sleep on the couch if the short man was bothered by him but that suggestion was shot down quickly. Levi assured him that he didn't mind Eren, especially since the bed was big enough for them to lay comfortably and still without having to worry about being too close to one another, so they continued to sleep on the same bed.

 

With heavy, tired limbs Eren stood up from the bed and went into the hallway, the bright lights hurting his eyes after being in the dark for a long time. He then noticed Levi in front of the front door, taking his shoes off and dressed in black jogging pants and dark grey hoodie which were definitely not the older man’s usual clothes.

 

“Why are you up?”, Levi asked with a frown once he noticed Eren standing there in just his pyjamas.

 

“Why are  _ you _ up?”, Eren countered, suppressing a yawn with his hand.

 

“I just went for a short jog”, the short man explained nonchalantly like it was just normal to go run outside at night.

 

“It’s in the middle of the night, Levi”, the brunet said with a disapproving frown. Sure, it wasn’t his business what the man did and when but he couldn’t help but be concerned.

 

Levi sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “I just have a bit of trouble sleeping sometimes”, he admitted, a bit reluctantly. “The exercise helps me sleep.”

 

That didn’t help ease Eren’s worry but before he could ask more, the older man ushered him back into the bedroom to continue sleeping while he went to take a shower.

 

So far, similar case has happened once since. He woke up to find Levi doing pushups outside the bedroom after a few days.

 

Another thing that Eren has come to realized about Levi was how much he really appreciated the homemade food. Yesterday Eren had to stay later than usual at work to clean up a mess that a customer made. There was a young couple with their child at the coffee shop and the kid had accidentally spilled his juice on one of the padded chairs and it was difficult to clean up. The couple of course compensated for it and it was an accident so Eren wasn’t really mad.

 

While he was held up at work, Levi, on the other hand, had a rare short day and got off work early. He was excited to be home early for dinner for once but then the brunet had informed that he couldn’t make dinner that evening because he was caught up at work. Levi said that it was okay and couldn’t be helped but when Eren had finally gone back to Levi’s apartment after work, the older man was grumbling as he ate some premade store food and sipped on a cup of coffee. Eren had to admit that it had been both amusing and flattering.

 

Which is why today Eren woke up over an hour before Levi to make him breakfast and prepare lunch to make up for it. Eren smiled as he fried the eggs for the omelettes in a frying pan. He felt like a housewife and that thought, unexpectedly, made him a little giddy with joy. He wouldn't mind if this was how the rest of his life would be. Getting up early to make breakfast and to prepare Levi’s lunch, going to work, making Levi his usual cup of coffee at lunch time, coming home, cleaning and making dinner, watching movies or the TV with Levi and going to sleep next to each other. This routine made him feel happier than he had ever been since his mother died. It was just so  _ domestic _ .

 

“Eren…?”

 

Eren snapped out of his thoughts as he heard Levi’s sleepy voice call for him.

 

“I’m making breakfast", Eren said as he saw the black haired man walk into the kitchen from the corner of his eye. “Good morning.”

 

“Good morning”, Levi greeted as he raised a brow at the brunet. “Why are you up so early?”

 

“I couldn't make dinner yesterday so I’m compensating for it”, Eren explained as he plated the omelettes he was making. “There's fresh coffee in the pot. Oh, and I also made you lunch that you can just heat up. It’s in the fridge.”

 

Levi stood there with astonished expression before a smile rose onto his lips as he went to the coffee maker. “You didn't have to.”

 

“I didn't, but it's the least I can do. Besides, I enjoy cooking for other people. I wouldn't mind doing this every day", Eren said with a smile as he carried the omelettes to the table.

 

“You're too good to me", Levi sighed as he poured coffee into his cup. “Do you want coffee? I can pour you some.”

 

“Yes, please”, Eren replied as he set their forks and knives on the table while the other man took another cup from the overhead cupboard and filled it with coffee.

 

“Here”, Levi said as he offered Eren the other cup once the brunet came back into the kitchen.

 

The young man accepted the cup with a soft ‘thanks’ and set it on the counter as he got sugar and milk out so he could prepare his coffee more to his tastes.

 

“What did you make for lunch?”, Levi asked once they both were settled at the table, ready to dig in.

 

“Baked salmon with peas and rice”, Eren answered as he cut a piece off his omelette and munched on it.

 

“Sounds good”, Levi hummed as he took a bite of his food. “Speaking of good, this is delicious.”

 

“Thank you", Eren said, beaming happily at the older man. “Oh, and I will probably stop by the grocery store when I finish work so I might be a bit later than usual with dinner. Do you need anything?”

 

“Not at the moment. I will text or call if I do later", Levi informed. “I will also give you some cash to buy the groceries with.”

 

“No, it's alright. I have enough for them from working", the young man assured. “You have given me more than enough already.”

 

Levi shrugged as he finished his breakfast, drinking the last sip of his coffee before standing up and taking his dishes to the kitchen. Eren soon followed him, putting the dirty dishes in the dishwasher.

 

Things had been going great for Eren for once in his life. Levi had talked to some people who went to see Eren’s apartment and the coffee shop. They had deemed that only the upper floor and the exterior needed to be renewed completely while the interior of the coffee shop could remain the same.

 

Eren greatly appreciated Levi's help, which was why if the older man enjoyed his homemade food, he would try his hardest to make his every meal. It was the least and actually the only thing he could do for him to repay the kindness.

 

Once Levi left to work, Eren still had around an hour more before he needed to leave since he woke up and ate breakfast earlier than usually. He could've gone back to bed for a little while longer but he no longer left sleepy, which was kind of weird. He always had trouble getting up early but here he was.

 

He wiped down the dining table and the kitchen counters and washed the cutting board he had used before putting it to dry in the overhead cabinet. After washing his hands he walked around the apartment, searching for something to do. When he saw that the apartment was as meticulous as always, he just slumped down onto the couch and opened the TV to watch the morning news.

 

There was nothing really interesting happening. Car accidents, some firm going bankrupt, sports, some foreign singer coming to the neighboring city, something about politics abroad etc. Mostly depressing stuff, which made Eren realize that he hadn't been to the bridge in a week. Sure, he needed to cross it to get to work but he hadn't stopped to sit around and contemplate death.

 

It was a great accomplishment for him.

 

Maybe it was because of Levi. No, it  _ must _ be because of Levi and he knew it. The man took his mind off his dark thoughts and the new environment away from all his sorrow also helped clear his mind.

 

Eren heaved a sigh as he caught sight of the time. He needed to leave so he turned the TV off and stood up, stretching his back and arms.

 

He got his bag, made sure he had his wallet, phone and keys, before putting on his shoes and jacket. He was about to exit the apartment when he saw the scarf and knit beanie hanging on the coat rack.

 

Levi had bought them for him since he didn't own a scarf and all of his winter hats were old, worn down and holey. Eren felt uncomfortable with Levi spending money on him but he was getting more used to it.

 

_ “It’s my money. I can spend it on you if I feel like it”,  _ Levi had said one time. Which was true but it didn't stop Eren from pouting and protesting when the older was about to buy him something.

 

Eren shook his head to get the thoughts out of his head before glancing at the time on his phone.

 

_ 7.57. Fuck, I need to go. _

 

He grabbed the beanie and scarf, putting them on hastily as he ran out of the door, shutting it behind him. Not slamming it. He knew Levi would kill him if he did that.

 

He ran down the stairs, ignoring the elevator as waiting for it always took too much time. He almost stumbled on his feet a few times but managed to make it down and out of the building without falling down the stairs.

 

By the time he was at his coffee shop, he was out of breath. His shop wasn't popular but he had most customers early in the morning when people wanted to grab a coffee on their way to work so he would be damned if he opened the coffee shop too late and lost a big part of the day’s income.

 

He went in through the back and set his bag in the backroom before getting ready for the day ahead of him.

 

* * *

 

Eren was looking at the clock every once in a while, tapping his finger on the counter. It was already five minutes past the time that Levi usually came in to get his cup of coffee but there was no sight of him.

 

“What's wrong, Eren?”

 

The brunet looked behind him to the blond boy.

 

“Nothing, Armin", he answered before turning back to stare at the clock.

 

Armin was another one of his friends who sometimes came to help around the coffee shop. It was Friday and Armin didn't have classes today so he came to help around for the weekend. Eren guessed that it was Mikasa who urged him to come after what happened since she probably couldn't.

 

“You sure? You've been staring at the clock for a while now…”, Armin said worriedly. “Could it have something to do with this ‘Levi'?”

 

Eren froze, stopping his tapping.

 

“Mikasa told you, didn't she?”

 

“Who else?”

 

Eren groaned as he let his head fall on the counter on top of his arms.

 

“She wanted to apologize. You know she's just worried about you", the blond said softly. “As am I.”

 

“Yeah, I know…”, Eren sighed. “But if she wanted to apologize, she could've called or texted me and not send a... _ messenger _ .”

 

Armin laughed. “You know, she didn't actually send me to apologize to you. She will do that herself once she can”, he said. “I was just saying that she wanted to apologize.”

 

“Fair enough”, Eren hummed as he glanced at the clock again with a sigh. “But...you’re right.”

 

“Hm?”

 

“Levi usually comes before 11.30 to get his coffee”, he explained as he slumped against the counter. “But I guess he got held up at work again.”

 

“Where does he work?”, Armin asked. He had only heard from Mikasa that the guy was older than Eren by at least ten years and that he was short. Mikasa also said that he was a predator who was trying to take Eren’s innocence but that's how Mikasa saw everyone that looked at Eren.

 

“You know the company across the street? He works there", Eren said.

 

“Eh? Then he’s quite wealthy?”

 

“I guess.”

 

Armin frowned. “I know you have money trouble but, please, Eren, don’t start selling yourself to rich people.”

 

“I am not!”, Eren shouted, gaining wide-eyed looks from the customers sitting in the coffee shop. His cheeks turned red in embarrassment. “Sorry…”

 

Armin was holding in his laughter while Eren glared at him.

 

“But it seems like you really like him, huh?”, Armin hummed with a certain knowing clint in his eyes. “Are you dating?”

 

Eren froze. “No, of course not! I’m straight!”, he claimed but the blond didn’t seem convinced. Instead the smaller man seemed a bit displeased and sad.

 

“Eren, you don’t need to lie. I know”, Armin said, his voice soft and reassuring.

 

“Wha- Wait...How? I never told any of you!”, the brunet asked, confused. Then he realized that Mikasa had seemed to know about it too last time he had been here. He hadn’t paid attention to it at the time but she knew that he was gay…

 

“You remember that party that we were all invited to by Jean a few years back?” Eren nodded. Armin was most likely referring to that one party were he realized he was gay. “Yeah, well, the fact that you  _ ‘had fun’ _ with one of Jean’s acquaintances wasn’t a smart idea if you were trying to keep your sexual orientation a secret.”

 

Eren understood what the blond meant. So the guy that he had had sex with went and blabbered about his experience to Jean and knowing that horseface it was easy to see how the information had traveled to Armin and Mikasa and probably all their other friends. He was strangling that bastard when he next saw him.

 

The brunet sighed. “Okay, fine.” He ran a hand through his hair. “But I’m not dating him, okay? I confessed and was rejected.”

 

Armin gave his friend an encouraging smile. “It doesn’t work out always.”

 

“Yeah, but he did say that he would still think about it, though”, Eren added.

 

Armin hummed as an idea struck him. Mikasa wouldn’t be pleased if she learned that he was trying to help Eren out with the so-called ‘predator’, but the brunet seemed really in love and Armin was a good friend. He was also a very curious friend who liked to stay on top of things.

 

“Do you have his number?”, the blond boy asked with a scheming smile.

 

Eren raised a brow and nodded hesitantly. “Yes…?”

 

“Call or text him. Ask him if he's coming. If not, take him his coffee", Armin suggested.

 

“Wha- I can't do that! What if he's busy?”, Eren asked worried.

 

“Just send him a text. If he's busy he just won't answer it until later.” Armin shrugged like it was that simple.

 

Eren bit his lip as he fished his phone from his pocket before unlocking it and going to his messages, finger hovering over Levi’s name.

 

When the brunet didn't seem to make a move to message Levi, Armin grabbed Eren’s phone and pressed on Levi’s name before typing away.

 

“Hey! Armin, no!”, Eren exclaimed as he tried to reach for his phone but by the time he got it back, Armin had already sent the quick message.

 

_ “Hey levi r u coming to coffee?” _

 

“Armin, I don't text him like that!”, Eren yelled, horrified at what Levi would think of him.

 

“Well, you text everyone else like that so how would I have known? Besides, if you like him, why not just text like you normally do? Be yourself!”, Armin said, grinning happily like he had done charity instead of texted his friend's crush.

 

Eren groaned as he slumped back against the counter but soon flinched up as his phone buzzed his hand, indicating a message.

 

_ “I have to work through lunch so I can't come unfortunately.” _

 

Eren’s lips curled down at the text but before he could reply, there was another message.

 

_ “Also, are you drunk? If you’re drinking at the bridge again, I swear to god…” _

 

He smiled at the text, letting out a small chuckle because he could hear the worry in Levi’s words.

 

_ “No, I just thought that maybe I could bring you your coffee?” _

 

He was about to press send but faltered as Armin stared at him expectantly. He bit his lip as he rewrote the message ‘in his normal way’.

 

_ “No just thought u might want coffee. Could bring u sum?” _

 

Eren send the message, swallowing nervously afterwards. Maybe Levi thought he was weird now? He did seem to think Eren was drunk, after all…

 

It didn't take long for Levi to reply, Eren’s eyes lighting up as he read the text.

 

_ “You would do that? I’d appreciate it but will your coffee shop be okay?” _

 

_ “Yeah its fine my friend will take care of it” _ , he replied, excitement bubbling in his chest and seemingly apparent on his face as Armin let out a chuckle.

 

_ “When you come in, just say to the person at the reception that you're bringing me coffee. She will direct you to the right place.” _

 

Answering with a simple ‘ok', Eren was bouncing to make Levi’s cup of coffee.

 

“So I assume I will manage the coffee shop alone for a bit?”, Armin said with a knowing grin.

 

“Uhh...sorry but yeah?”, Eren answered sheepishly, a slight blush on his cheeks as he tried to fight the smile on his face. He was going to see Levi’s workplace. He was going to see  _ Levi _ .

 

He poured the coffee into the cardboard cup and capped it when his eyes fell on the pastries. He had seen Levi eyeing them a lot of times but never ordering any.

 

_ Fuck it. _

 

He took a small paper bag and placed one blueberry muffin inside before rolling the top a few times to close the bag.

 

“I will be right back!”, Eren called as he left with the cup and paper bag in hand towards the big, looming building across the street. The excitement started to wear off, nervousness replacing it as he went inside. He saw the woman behind the reception desk and went up to her.

 

“Hello, how can I help you?”

 

“Hi, umm...I’m here to deliver a coffee to Levi Ackerman. Where might I find him?”, he asked.

 

She looked him over before smiling.

 

“He’s on the 15th floor. Walk left from the elevators until you see a desk that’s bigger and separated from the others. That's his desk”, the woman informed.

 

Eren smiled as he thanked her before heading for the elevators. Once in, he pressed the button for the 15th floor. His heart was pounding nervously as the doors opened. He took a deep breath before walking out and to the left as instructed.

 

He soon saw the familiar black haired short man and a smile rose onto his lips as he walked over.

 

“For you", Eren said, catching Levi's attention, as he held out the cup and paper bag, smiling at him.

 

The short man returned his smile before raising a brow as he took the offered items.

 

“This is?”, he asked looking into the paper bag.

 

“A bonus. Don’t think I haven't seen how you look at the pastries", Eren said teasingly.

 

Levi let out a chuckle and he didn't notice how quiet the office was suddenly or how all eyes were on them.

 

“Thank you", Levi said before starting to reach for his bag but paused when Eren spoke.

 

“Don’t worry about the money. You have given me more than enough", Eren said, shaking his head. “But you're busy so I will take my leave now", he added when he noticed that Levi was going to protest.

 

He turned around but didn't get far as he was suddenly almost tackled to the floor by someone.

 

“You're Eren, right? It's nice to meet you! I’m Hanji! Levi has said so many good things-”

 

“Hanji, let him go!”, Levi ordered as he stood up to separate the two brunets from each other. “Also why are you here in the first place!?”

 

“I came to see you, of course!”, Hanji said as they let go of the boy reluctantly. “But you should’ve told me he was going to be here!”

 

“Umm…”

 

“Why would I tell you something like that, you shitty four eyes?”, Levi snapped as he stepped between the two taller people, Eren behind his back. “You saw him. Now, fuck off and leave him alone. He was just leaving.”

 

“You're no fun", the brunette whined with a pout before a smile rose on their lips as they looked over Levi’s shoulder at Eren. “But you're even cuter than I thought.”

 

“Uh...thank you?”, Eren said hesitantly, not sure what was going on really.

 

“Come on, Eren. I will escort you out", Levi said as he grabbed the taller man by the wrist and started to drag him away.

 

“Levi, I just wanted to talk to him for a bit!”, Hanji whined, following after them to the elevators. “Pleeeease.”

 

“No.”

 

“I promise I won't steal him!”

 

“ _ No _ ", Levi said with finality as he pulled Eren into an elevator, pressing the ground floor button as he tried to keep Hanji from getting in with them. He heaved a sigh of relief as the doors closed with his ecstatic friend on the other side.

 

“Sorry…”, Eren mumbled, biting at his lip as he looked at the elevator floor. “You're so busy and I’m just here causing trouble.”

 

“It's not your fault. I didn't think Hanji would be there,  _ on the wrong floor _ .” Levi’s lips pulled into a scowl as he said the last part. “But this was nice of you. I appreciate it. Thank you.”

 

Eren beamed at Levi, feeling overly happy with the older man’s words.

 

“Least I can do”, Eren hummed happily.

 

The elevator soon came to a stop, the doors opening. Eren took a step out but spun around to face Levi afterwards.

 

“Oh, I forgot to ask in the morning whether or not you had any dinner requests?”, he asked.

 

Levi held the elevator doors open as he thought about it briefly.

 

“I’m fine with pretty much anything you make", he replied with a shrug. “But steak would be nice.”

 

“Will do", Eren chuckled. Levi always says that he would eat whatever but still offers a dinner idea, maybe a bit sheepishly. “How does steak with mashed potatoes and roasted vegetables sound like?”

 

“Fantastic”, Levi replied, a small smile tugging on his lips. He realized belatedly that he was staring and cleared his throat as he looked at his watch. “Sorry, I will have to go back now.”

 

“Don't worry about it”, the brunet said, waving at him as he started walking away backwards. “Have a nice day! Don't overwork yourself!”

 

“Same to you", Levi said with an amused hum as he watched the other turn around and walk out of the building.

 

Levi could feel his heart pounding in his chest as he went up with the elevator. He wanted to convince himself that he was possibly having a stroke but he knew fully well that it was caused by the young brunet with the prettiest eyes he had ever seen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading~ I hope you enjoyed it~ Comments and kudos are always appreciated!


	14. Snowfall And Sniffles

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, everyone! I'm here with another massive chapter!
> 
> EDIT: I just noticed that this work now has exactly 37000 words. Just wanted to point that out.
> 
> Enjoy~

It was decided that the renovation of Eren’s apartment and the coffee shop would start in spring. The winter was coming fast and the workers deemed that it was better and safer to work on it after the ice and snow had melted.

 

Speaking of snow…

 

“Holy shit, it’s snowing like crazy!", Eren exclaimed as he opened the bedroom curtains. It had snowed a little a few days ago but all of it had melted away almost immediately. Now he could barely see beyond the snowfall outside.

 

It was currently the 26th of October, almost Halloween. Eren had stayed with Levi for almost three weeks now and they had fallen into a routine. Eren would wake up before Levi and make breakfast. Afterwards Levi would go to work while Eren would do housework for an hour before also heading to work. Levi would come by the coffee shop during his lunch break and get his coffee and on rare days even a pastry. Eren would finish work earlier than Levi and make dinner. When Levi came back, they would eat together and do their own things afterwards. Usually Eren prepared their lunches for the next day and watched TV while Levi worked. Sometimes, though, they would watch movies together if Levi didn't have a lot of work before going to bed. Most of the times, though, Levi stayed up later than Eren doing work and would slip into bed after an hour or two.

 

Speaking of the short man, he was currently bedridden, having caught a cold. Levi always nagged to Eren about wearing a scarf, hat and a jacket so he wouldn’t catch a cold but he himself had gotten sick from not listening to his own advice.

 

Levi groaned at the sudden light from the window, the white of the rapidly falling snow making the light even brighter.

 

“I made rice pudding", Eren said as he turned away from the window. He took the steaming bowl that he had set down on Levi's dresser so he could open the curtains and took it to Levi.

 

“I’m not eating in bed", Levi insisted, his voice hoarse as he tried to stand up from the bed but Eren’s hand on his chest pushed him back down. Normally the young man wouldn't be able to keep him down but the fever was making him weak. He let out another groan. “Eren, it will make a mess.”

 

“No, it won't”, Eren assured as he offered the bowl to Levi who took it reluctantly. “And if it will, I will wash the sheets, okay?”

 

With a grumble, the older man started to eat the rice pudding topped with cinnamon and sugar.

 

“Do you want something to drink?”, Eren asked as he stacked pillows behind Levi so he could lean on them while sitting.

 

Levi let out a sigh as he leaned back. “Coffee? If you don't mind?”, he requested.

 

Eren smiled gently at him. “Of course, I don't mind", he said as he walked out of the room and into the kitchen. He had made a pot of coffee earlier while making the rice pudding so he only needed to get Levi’s favourite mug and fill it.

 

In the last few weeks that Eren had been living with Levi, he had deemed that the amount of coffee that Levi drank daily was unhealthy. On a busy day the older man would have two cups of coffee in the morning, then one from the coffee shop during lunch and probably at least one or two more from the company’s break room before he came home and drank coffee with dinner and then got one more cup while doing work at home.

 

Eren was a coffee lover but even he knew that was too much. So he did the most obvious thing and tried convince Levi to drop the amount of coffee he drank per day. He knew it wasn’t really his business but he couldn’t help worrying about the older man’s health.

 

Surprisingly, though, Levi did consent to it but with the condition that in exchange Eren would reduce his smoking. So far both of them had been feeling slightly better. Of course, there were some withdrawal symptoms but nothing too severe since neither of them was quitting anything, just reducing the amount. Levi, though, would’ve wanted Eren to stop smoking completely.

 

The young man also hasn’t been to the bridge for  _ weeks _ and rarely felt the urge to cut himself. Maybe it was because he was busier now, he wasn't as lonely and left to his thoughts or maybe it was because of Levi’s presence which caused his head to be up in the softest clouds most of the time. Either way life was treating him well for once, but he wasn’t about to let his guard down. The bad things had a tendency to creep up on you when you least expected it.

 

Eren shook his head as he walked back to the bedroom, warm cup in hand.

 

“Here", Eren said as he offered the cup to Levi.

 

“Thank you", Levi answered, his voice slightly nasally, as he accepted warm drink. He took a sip and let out a long appreciative sigh as the warm liquid soothed his parched throat.

 

He glanced at the digital clock on his nightstand. 12 AM. He slept in late...

 

“Don’t you have work?”

 

“It was quiet so I came to check on you quickly. I will go back once you're resting", Eren explained as he took the now empty bowl. He was glad that despite being sick, Levi still had an appetite.

 

“You can go. I will be fine", Levi assured but the brunet didn't seem convinced. He sighed. “I’m not a kid. I can take care of myself.”

 

“Yeah, I know you're definitely not a kid but…” A teasing smile rose onto those rosy lips. “You're bit on the old side. You can never be too careful with the elderly.”

 

“Eren, just wait until I’m healthy and I will kick your ass for that comment”, Levi warned, glaring at the young man.

 

Eren burst into laughter and even Levi couldn’t keep glaring at him at the sound and sight of Eren’s joyous, juvenile smile.

 

“Get better soon then", Eren chuckled.

 

Levi rolled his eyes but couldn't help the smile tugging on the corners of his lips. He tried to hide it behind his mug, drinking the rest of his coffee slowly. Once it was all gone, he offered the cup to the brunet.

 

Eren took the empty cup and walked out of the room to take the dirty dishes to the dishwasher. There was the sound of water running before he came back with a bottle of water and a bowl of fruits.

 

“I will be back around 19 o'clock to make dinner”, Eren informed as he set the items down onto Levi's nightstand. “There's water and something to snack on in case you get hungry. I will stop by the pharmacy to get something for your cold. If you need anything, just call me, okay?”

 

“Yeah, yeah, you can stop fussing over me. I’ll be fine, okay?”, Levi said as he laid back down, feeling exhausted. He should be doing work right now instead of laying around sick but sleep started to creep in once he relaxed and Eren’s warm hand running through his hair was all he needed to fall asleep.

 

Eren smiled as he watched sleep and exhaustion overtake the short man. The way his face relaxed made him look so much younger.

 

After making sure that Levi was sleeping, Eren returned to work. The coffee shop had more customers during the colder season since people liked to take refugee from the snow and cold and order a nice, warm cup of coffee but he was in no way busy. He was lucky if he had even twenty customers  _ per day _ . The exterior of the coffee shop really kept a lot of potential patrons away.

 

It was around 18 o’clock when his phone went off as he was wiping the counter. He had kept the sound on in case Levi called. However, he wasn’t expecting his father to be calling him and it wasn’t really a happy surprise. He would rather clean the toilet than talk to him.

 

Eren looked around him. There was only the regular old couple in, lost in their conversations, so he went to the backroom to answer the call.

 

“What?”, he snapped, discarding all pleasantries.

 

_ “Hi, Eren. Are you busy?” _ , Grisha, his father, asked, seemingly not minding Eren’s rude ‘greeting'.

 

“What do you want now?”, Eren asked with an exasperated sigh. He heard a matching sigh from the other side of the line that made him want to end the call.

 

_ “The same as always, Eren",  _ Grisha said.  _ “But before you hang up, listen to me for a bit, okay?” _

 

Eren debated whether or not he should listen to the old man but decided that he could always hang up in the middle of his talking. That would probably make the other man more angry and the brunet found that idea even better than hanging up right away.

 

“So?”

 

_ “Eren, I know you miss Carla but-” _

 

“But what? I should forget about mom like you did?”, Eren scoffed as he rolled his eyes.

 

_ “I have never told you to forget her-" _

 

“Yes, you have! Don't lie to me!”, Eren snapped, punching the wall next to him.

 

_ “Okay, okay. Maybe I have said something like that but I don't want you to forget her. I want you to move on",  _ the old man said.  _ “I know you love it but you really should sell the coffee shop and go to univer-" _

 

“No! I'm not selling it!”, Eren shouted.

 

_ “It will never succeed! While you may be getting just enough money to live by now, it won't stay that way for long. What will you do then? You have no education for anything else!” _

 

“I will make it successful!”

 

_ “Eren, don't be stupid-" _

 

He couldn't listen to it anymore. He hung up and powered off his phone before throwing it into his bag. He ran his hand through his hair in frustration multiple times before going back into the coffee shop.

 

He noticed that the elderly couple had left and heaved a sigh of relief as he closed up the shop early. He couldn't be there anymore. He needed badly a fucking cigarette and fast or he was going crazy.

 

He took his stuff and started walking towards Levi's apartment automatically as he lit a cigarette. However, he stopped once he reached the bridge. If he went back now, Levi would ask questions. It was still too early for him to close up the coffee shop, after all.

 

So he jumped on the railing and sat down as he took a drag on his cigarette before exhaling the smoke. He shivered involuntarily. It was cold. The snow and ice on the railing was melting under his butt, water seeping through his pants but he didn't care as the nicotine made him relax.

 

After smoking one cigarette and throwing away the butt to the river, he decided he could do with another. He had plenty of time anyway.

 

Two soon turned to three and he was almost halfway done with fourth when he couldn't take it anymore. He doubled over and threw up, some vomit landing on his pants. He started coughing terribly, his stomach and head hurt and he felt dizzy.

 

He briefly thought about getting off the railing so he wouldn't fall into the river but he didn't have the energy to lift his trembling legs over it. Instead, he gripped the railing as tight as he could, the snow on it freezing his bare hands while his fingertips got stuck on the side of it where snow wasn't covering the metal.

 

But he couldn't care less. He was angry, sad and nauseous.

 

He trembled as the cold wind blew past him. He kept thinking that he should go back to Levi before he started to worry. But he couldn't go back  _ now. _ His pants were wet and covered in vomit, he smelled of cigarettes and probably looked like a mess. He needed to-

 

“EREN!”

 

The sudden shout startled him. He turned his dazed gaze to the side and saw Levi standing there with panic clear on his face. Eren’s eyes widened.

 

“What are doing outside!? You're sick-”, he panicked, falling off the railing to the snow face first in his haste. Levi was on his side in a second, helping him up.

 

“What the  _ fuck  _ were  _ you _ doing!?”, Levi shouted. He grimaced once he saw the vomit on Eren’s pants. He cupped the brunet's face. “We have been through this. You do  _ not _ sit on  _ any _ fucking railings.” He paused, glancing down. “And if you were also sick you could've said something.”

 

“I’m not sick. I just smoked-”

 

“Multiple fucking cigarettes?”, Levi finished with a disapproving scowl on his face. “We talked about this too, Eren. You do  _ not  _ smoke multiple cigarettes  _ in a row _ ! You shouldn't smoke  _ at all _ in the first place!”

 

“Sorry…”

 

Levi sighed as he saw the ashamed look on the boy’s face. He rubbed his thumbs over Eren’s cheeks in a soothing manner.

 

“Let's go home before you catch a cold", he said.

 

Eren felt his chest warm up at the sound of ‘home'. He nodded as he was led by the older back towards his apartment, his mind still spinning and heart beating fast because of all the nicotine in his system.

 

“I got really scared, you know?”, Levi said once they were inside the building, waiting for the elevator. Eren looked at him. “You were late and when I tried to call you, it didn't connect. All I could think that maybe you... _ jumped _ .”

 

Eren turned his eyes away as the elevator doors opened and they stepped inside, guilt squeezing at his heart.

 

“Sorry, I turned off my phone…”, he murmured.

 

“Why?”

 

Eren shrugged. “For reasons.”

 

It was obvious Eren didn't want to and wasn't planning to talk about it. In other circumstances it would've been fine but when whoever had called Eren had caused him to end up like  _ this _ , he wasn't going to let the brunet stay silent.

 

Though, he would wait until Eren was clean and warm. It might become a long conversation and he didn't want the other getting sick.

 

Eren was shivering and coughing every once in a while as the elevator ascended. When they finally arrived at the top floor and the doors opened, Levi placed his hand on Eren’s upper back and led him into the hallway. He was about to search his pocket for his keys when he noticed that he hadn’t shut the door properly in his panic.

 

He shouldn't make that into a habit, he thought with a sigh as he opened the door and gently urged Eren in before closing the door behind them.

 

“I will fill the bathtub for you", he informed as he rubbed at his eyes. He was feeling the exhaustion now that the adrenaline was wearing off.

 

“I can do it. You should rest. You're still sick", Eren said as he placed his hand on Levi's forehead. It felt hot to the touch and he gasped. “You still have a high fever!”

 

“I don't. Your hands are just freezing cold”, Levi said as he grabbed the hand and rubbed it between both of his to warm it. After he deemed it had warmed up enough, he pressed it back to his forehead. “See?”

 

Levi's skin was still warmer than normally but it no longer felt as hot. Eren let out a relieved sigh as he nodded softly.

 

“Now then, I will go fill the tub”, the short man said, his eyes wandering to Eren’s stained pants. “Take off your clothes and take them to the laundry room. I will deal with them while you bathe.”

 

With a ruffle of Eren’s hair, Levi turned and walked into the bathroom, the sound of water running coming from within after a moment.

 

Eren slipped out of his pants, folding them so that the partly dried vomit wouldn't drip onto the pristine floorboards. He took them to the laundry room as instructed but hesitated with taking off the rest of his clothes.

 

He had slept in just his underwear and a t-shirt before when his pajamas had to be washed so he was fine with Levi seeing his legs in their full glory. However, revealing his upper body to the man made him somewhat embarrassed.

 

What was he? A woman? Guys without shirts were what you saw on beaches and swimming pools. There was nothing embarrassing about it! Or that's what he tried to convince himself to no avail.

 

As he was deep in his thoughts, he didn't hear Levi entering the room.

 

“What are you doing?”

 

Eren flinched at the sudden voice as he spun around to face the older man.

 

“N-nothing. Is the bath ready?”, he asked with a forced smile.

 

“Yes", Levi answered, grabbing Eren by the upper arm when he was trying to slip by. “But leave your clothes here.  _ All _ of them.”

 

“B-but…” Eren shifted uncomfortably from one foot to another but before he could say another word, there was a towel shoved onto his face.

 

“I will wait outside. Just pile everything on the floor and I will handle the rest", Levi said as he exited the laundry room, giving Eren his privacy.

 

The brunet sighed in relief as he undressed completely, wrapping the towel around his body self-consciously before walking out of the laundry room. He avoided eye contact with Levi as he made a beeline straight to the bathroom, his cheeks burning as he passed by.

 

Levi let out a chuckle as he shook his head with a fond expression before going into the laundry room to deal with Eren’s clothes.

 

Eren locked the door behind himself before shedding off the towel, placing it neatly on the rack before slipping into the warm water. He let out a long, pleased sigh as his tense, frozen muscles relaxed with the warmth.

 

He laid the back of his head against the edge of the tub as he breathed softly in the stillness, the only sound the rippling of the water whenever he shifted. When his eyelids started getting heavy and the water cold, he sluggishly washed himself before standing up and emptying the water.

 

It was after he had dried off that he realized he didn't have a change of clothes. He could ask Levi to get him some clothes or he could walk into the bedroom himself with just his damp towel around him.

 

He didn't want to bother Levi especially when he was still sick but he didn't want to risk the towel falling off either. As he contemplated what to do, he heard the TV.

 

So Levi was in the living room watching the TV… He could probably slip by and into the bedroom without much line of sight between him and Levi.

 

Eren hesitantly unlocked and opened the door and peered outside. He could see the back of Levi's head over the back of the couch and the black haired man hadn't apparently noticed him yet or didn't just pay him any attention in favour of something more interesting on the TV-

 

Maybe not, after all. It was a commercial break and Eren doubted Levi had any interest in the tampon commercial current being showed. Or if he did, the brunet really needed to re-evaluate his choices in his crushes.

 

Eren quickly shook his head to get the stupid thoughts off his mind as he started to sneak into the bedroom quietly. It didn't go so well when he stubbed his toe on the edge of the bookshelf in the hallway.

 

“Ow fuck!”, he cursed loudly as he crouched down to hold his foot, his towel slipping off of him without his notice.

 

“What are you doing, Eren?”, Levi sighed as he turned to look at the young man, who was crouching basically naked on the floor.

 

“Sorry! I was just-” Eren gasped as he finally noticed that the towel had slipped down. He quickly grabbed it, covering himself, his cheeks burning a bright red as he tried to cover his face with the hand that wasn't holding the towel up.

 

Levi shook his head with a fond expression as he let out a chuckle.

 

“So what were you doing again?”

 

“I forgot to take a change of clothes so I was just going to go get dressed in the bedroom”, Eren explained, the blush reaching his ears. He glanced at Levi. “Please, look away for a bit so I can go there.”

 

Levi rolled his eyes with an amused smile but turned back to the TV.

 

Eren stood up carefully, making sure he had the towel properly secured around his naked body, before making his way to the bedroom with hurried steps. His toe was still stinging as he walked but he decided to ignore it.

 

He closed the door behind him but didn't let the towel fall until he had his pyjamas out. He didn't own a lot of clothes so they could all be fitted into one slot in Levi’s wardrobe, although, the older had bought him a shirt or two since the start of his temporary stay. Eren also may have liked one of Levi’s oversized sweaters he had borrowed one time a bit too much and it may have ended up among Eren’s clothes.

 

The brunet put on his pyjamas. They were a bit worn, some strings sticking out here and there, but the material was warm, thick and durable still.

 

He picked the damp towel he had dropped, making sure the floor wasn't wet, before he made his way out. Levi let out a sneeze as he walked past the living room area and remembered with alarm that Levi was still sick. He quickly took the towel to dry and as he walked back to Levi, he grabbed the blanket hanging on the back of the couch.

 

“Levi, you should be in bed!”, he scolded as he circled the couch and wrapped the blanket around the short man. “You're still sick!”

 

“I’m fine", Levi assured. “My fever went down after resting. I only feel a bit sluggish.”

 

“All the more reason to rest! It might still come back!”, Eren reasoned.

 

“It might", Levi agreed before a frown pulled the corners of his lips down. “But there's something more important to talk about. Sit down.”

 

The young man grew tense and swallowed thickly as he reluctantly sat down next to Levi. He knew what this would be about.

 

“Why was your phone turned off? Why were you at the bridge and chain-smoking despite what I have said?”, Levi interrogated, his arms crossed and stare hard. It made Eren avert his eyes and try to shrink back.

 

“There was...I just...you know, like...just...umm…”, Eren mumbled, fiddling with the loose strings on his pyjama shirt.

 

Levi sighed as he watched the other stuttering nervously. He decided to change up his question.

 

“Who called you?” A simple question that required a simple answer. That was the way he needed to proceed if he was going to get anything out of the nervous wreck that was Eren.

 

Eren went silent at the question. He bit his lip in thought as he looked down at his lap. He flinched a little when he felt a hand on his chin, thumb briefly brushing over his bottom lip.

 

“Don't bite your lip, Eren", Levi said gently before withdrawing his hand when the brunet let his lip slip from in-between his teeth.

 

Eren took a deep breath as he grabbed at the fabric of his pyjama pants so he could hold onto something.

 

“My father called.”

 

Levi remembered what Eren had told him about his father and his hatred for the old man.

 

“Still trying to get you to attend a university?”, he inquired.

 

Eren nodded, tightening his grip on the fabric.

 

“He said that I should have a backup plan in case the coffee shop fails", he mumbled. “I know that. I know he's just worried. But it's been  _ two years _ . I’ve been fine for two years on my own.” He took a deep but shaky breath to calm himself before he frustrated himself to tears. “And if I went to school now, I wouldn't be able to manage the coffee shop and it would definitely fall apart. He fucking knows that. I’m sure of it. He  _ wants _ it to fail.”

 

He watched as his knuckles turned white as he clenched his fists in the fabric of his pants. However, Levi’s gentle hands came to rest on his, drawing soothing circles on the back of them.

 

They were silent. Eren was trembling with the effort to hold in his tears and Levi’s soothing ministrations didn't help with that. It was like the older man was urging and inviting him to cry and let it all out, giving him a shoulder to cry on.

 

And he took the invitation. He let his head rest on Levi's shoulder as tears fell from his eyes, quiet sobs leaving his lips.

 

Levi let go of his hands in favour of wrapping his hands around Eren’s slim waist. He tugged him on his lap, to better hold the crying boy.

 

Eren’s hands were around his neck in an instance as he buried his head in the crook of Levi's neck. If he had been in his right mind, he would've noticed the intimacy of their position, something closer than friends would go, but he didn't as he cried his eyes out.

 

Levi was sure it wasn't just the call from his father that sent the young man into tears. He knew Eren was stressing over a lot of things and now it all seemed to come down in the form of a stream of tears.

 

He stroked Eren’s back and hummed and cooed at him like you would do to an upset child. But Eren  _ was  _ a child. Maybe not in the eyes of law but to Levi he was. Still searching, exploring and feeling around life and his place in it.

 

And Levi was falling helplessly in love with that child with every day that went by and it felt so  _ wrong _ .

 

Eren was young and bright despite the dark thoughts that haunted him every now and then. Levi was antisocial, workaholic cleanfreak, almost twice Eren’s age with caffeine addiction and insomnia.

 

But for now, he ignored his insecurities and fears in favour of comforting the brunet. He ran his fingers through brown locks of messy hair.

 

“Don’t worry about your father”, he said, finally breaking the silence. “You're an adult."  _ by law, _ he added in his mind. “Your father or not, it is  _ you _ who decides what  _ you _ want to do. Not him, not me or anyone else. If you want to keep on working in the coffee shop, do it. If you want to go to university, do it.”

 

Eren let out a soft sniffle. “What if I wanted stay like this for a little while longer?”, he whispered, not daring to show Levi his face, but the older could see the pink tips of Eren’s ears.

 

“We can stay like this for as long as you want", Levi assured with a small smile but frowned when he heard Eren’s stomach growl, the younger burrowing his face into Levi’s shoulder out of embarrassment. “Okay, we can stay like this for a little while longer. Then we’ll eat. I’ll cook something for us.”

 

“You will?”, Eren asked hopefully, with a tiny bit of uncertainty in his voice, as he peeked at the older. Sure, the brunet knew that Levi had somewhat of an idea how to cook and was excited at the thought of getting to eat something the other made but at the same time Levi had also almost burned an egg while frying it when he had offered to help Eren with making dinner a while ago. He would probably need to watch the older man in the kitchen...

 

“That's what I said. But it will only be something simple", Levi said and he could feel Eren’s happiness more than he could see it. Of course, it’s the simple things that make Eren the happiest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For people that don't know what rice pudding is, you should google it. It's not really pudding and more like rice porridge. I don't understand why it's called that in English but whatever. It's really good with a bit of cinnamon and sugar.
> 
> *cough cough* Anyway, thank you for reading and a special thanks to everyone commenting and leaving kudos! I really appreciate it! I absolutely love reading your comments!


	15. Soft Smiles And A Surprise Visit

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, everyone! I'm here once again with another chapter!
> 
> Enjoy~

Levi had made dinner for them last night as he had promised. Nothing extravagant. Just simple spaghetti bolognese, but Eren had been exhilarated and all smiles for the whole day or what little was left of it.

 

The brunet also didn't comment on the intimate position they had been on the couch and Levi didn't say anything when Eren hesitantly took his hand and held it as they watched the TV for a while after dinner and neither of them mentioned how they slept that night, facing each other, closer than usually and with their legs tangled together.

 

Neither said anything but Levi was sure they both felt it. There was this quiet, soft bubble of tender affection between them that didn't need explaining.

 

Levi went to work the next day, his cold mostly gone but his head had been in the clouds since waking up. He had been unusually happy the past few weeks but after last night something had changed. The delicious smell of food cooking, Eren humming a tune softly by the stove, tapping his feet to it and the bright smile and cheerful greeting he got from the brunet. All of those simple things made his heart beat faster and his lips curl upwards.

 

Shaking the thoughts of the young brunet out of his head, he walked into the company building and greeted the woman at the reception with a smile.

 

“Good morning, Rico.”

 

The woman, Rico, looked up from her computer and blinked a few times like she couldn't believe her eyes before straightening up and smiling back at him.

 

“Good morning, Mr. Levi", she greeted. “It's good to see that you’re well.”

 

“Thank you", Levi said before walking to the elevator and pushing the button for his floor. As he was alone in the elevator, he briefly wondered how Eren was doing. Did he go back to sleep? Levi hoped he did. They were up yesterday until late and he didn’t want Eren overworking himself. Well, he could ask today during lunch.

 

The elevator gave a soft ding as the doors opened. There weren't many people in just yet. Just the usual bunch who came in early so they could leave earlier.

 

As he walked to his desk, he could feel several pairs of eyes on him and only then noticed that he still had a smile on his face. Great. His subordinates must think he has finally lost it.

 

Cooling his features back to his usual mask of indifference, he let out a sigh as he set his bag down and took out his laptop and some papers. As he was getting everything ready for work, he saw Petra approaching from the corner of his eye.

 

“Good morning”, she greeted with her usual warm smile.

 

“Good morning”, Levi replied returning the smile.

 

Petra was standing there for a moment in silence as she observed him with a curious look before the smile returned onto her face.

 

“You seem happy?”, she commented.

 

Levi shrugged noncommittally as he opened up his laptop.

 

“I had a good night's rest”, he answered simply. It wasn't a lie, exactly. He hadn't slept that well in a long while despite only sleeping for, what? Five hours?

 

Petra hummed as she thought about it. Levi could tell she wasn't fooled. She knew there was more to it but, surprisingly, she didn't call him out on it.

 

“Your cold is better already?”, she asked instead.

 

Levi nodded but before he could say anything more, there was a loud, familiar squeal. He let out a sigh and rubbed at his temples as he saw the eccentric brunette exit the elevator and run towards his desk.

 

“Hanji-"

 

“You’re alive!”, they exclaimed as they almost ran into his desk.

 

“Why are you here?”, Levi asked with a frown. There went his good mood.

 

“What? I can't be worried about my friend?”, Hanji replied with a very obviously fake hurt expression, their smile barely contained. Petra took that moment to slip away before things got nasty.

 

Levi stared at the brunette with an unnervingly blank, incredulous look.

 

“Okay, okay! Jeez!”, Hanji conceded. “I heard that you came back to work and you were  _ smiling! _ Of course, I had to check it out!”

 

Levi rolled his eyes. “So now you're done, right? Go back to your own floor and let me get back to work. I bet there's a shit-ton…”, he sighed.

 

“I can't go back yet!”, the brunette insisted. “I need the juicy details!”

 

“What ‘juicy details’?”, the short man asked with a raised brow. “How many times I fucking sneezed?”

 

“Well, that seems interesting also-" Levi made a face at that. “-but I want to know about the cutiepie!”, Hanji declared.

 

“The who now?”

 

“You know, Levi!”, they said. “ _ Your _ cutiepie housewife! That sweet little pumpkin, Eren!”

 

Levi groaned. “Don’t call him like that", he warned. “And what do you want with him  _ now _ ?”

 

“Well, since you live together and all, I wanted to know about him nursing you back to health!”, the taller said, their eyes sparkling. “Did he tuck you in? Make you food? Or I guess he already does that…” They paused for a short second before opening their mouth again. “Did he bathe you? Oh, I bet he did! And I bet you did something nasty and kinky together! Oh, you old pervert!”

 

“Hanji…” Levi’s hard, steady voice made them flinch and shut up as they were being glared at. If looks could kill, Hanji was on their way to heaven...or hell. “Get the fuck out and onto your own floor!”

 

Hanji let out a sheepish laugh as they hurried away before the short man could actually kill them. Levi let out a tired sigh as he slumped on his chair when the pest was finally gone. Hanji had their moments and was overall a great friend but sometimes he just didn't really need their teasing.

 

As he looked up he could see all of his subordinates looking at him with wide eyes but they all hurried to get back to work once his eyes turned to them. There had already been rumours going around the office- no, around the  _ whole company _ . There were rumours that he had a kid and was dating ‘a young barista’, in other words, Eren. Well, he wasn't sure if the latter part would be just a rumour for long with the way his feelings for the brunet had changed. Though, he didn't need the whole company to know that. And he didn't need rumours of his sex life either.

 

He sighed as he rubbed at his eyes tiredly. He really couldn't wait for lunch break to come around.

 

* * *

 

Eren was humming a tune as he put out fresh pastries. It was a song he had heard that morning and couldn't help but think of him and Levi while listening to it.

 

_ “They tell me think with my head, not that thing in my chest. They got their hands at my neck this time. But you're the one that I want. If that's really so wrong, then they don't know what this feeling is like...” _ , Eren sang, the song slowly petering out as he finished putting all the pastries in their places with a smile on his face. However, he was soon startled by the sudden clapping. He had forgotten that the regular old couple were there but they weren't what made his cheeks flush in a bright red color.

 

It was Levi by the counter, clapping his hands along with the elders that made him blush  _ because he was singing of his feeling for this particular man. _

 

“Uh...H-hi, Levi”, he greeted awkwardly as he avoided looking at the short man who had an obvious smirk on his face.

 

“Hello, Eren", Levi greeted, his voice full of amusement at Eren’s distress but his voice took on a sincere tone as he continued. “I like your singing. It's beautiful.”

 

And Levi just had to make him more embarrassed. He could hear the old couple saying something fond like  _ ‘Oh, young love’ _ which didn't help  _ at all _ .

 

Levi chuckled and Eren risked a peek at him through the bangs falling on his face. He should probably cut his hair before it got too long…

 

His eyes widened as he saw a soft pink dusting on the older man's cheeks and an affectionate look in his eyes. It was too much for his heart and he couldn't help but avert his gaze again as he played with a strand of his hair, rolling it between his fingers while he stood there awkwardly.

 

He cleared his throat. “S-so, one black coffee?”, he asked even though he didn't need to. He knew Levi’s order by now.

 

“Add a piece of that delicious apple pie of yours to the mix", Levi said as he leaned on the counter with a charming smile and Eren really couldn't look at him right now. He was afraid Levi could hear his crazy heartbeat. It had been such a long time since anyone had made him feel like a teenager with a crush, not that it was far from the truth.

 

“That will be 1,60€”, the brunet said.

 

Levi took his wallet out of his pocket and gave Eren the few coins and a little extra. Eren had learned that it was easier to just accept what the older man gave instead of trying to fight him. Besides, most of his money was going to groceries for their meals anyway.

 

Eren turned around so he could get the coffee ready while, Levi was trying hard not to let his eyes trail down the brunet’s back. Despite both knowing or at least having an inkling of each other feelings, they weren't dating yet. Or were they? He doubted it. Neither of them had said anything about it but the looks they gave each other once in a while said otherwise.

 

But either way he was going to keep his eyes above Eren’s waist for now. He was here to get his daily cup of coffee and not to imagine the brunet in compromising situations, like bend over the counter-  _ No, stop it! _

 

Levi shook his head before cooling his expression to a neutral one when Eren turned around to get the piece of apple pie. The brunet smiled shyly at him when their eyes met briefly before averting his gaze from the older.

 

“There you go", Eren said as he handed Levi the coffee cup and a small plastic box with the pie slice inside.

 

Levi took the offered items, his fingers brushing against tanned ones unnecessarily but he was delighted by the shudder and the adorable blush that he earned from the young man.

 

“I will see you at dinner", he said.

 

“Y-yeah, see you", Eren said, biting his lower lip in embarrassment.

 

The cute gesture caused a smile to rise onto Levi's lips before he turned away and left the small coffee shop.

 

Eren smiled happily as the embarrassment faded into the joy and he started humming the previous song once again, but this time only humming since he didn’t want another embarrassing moment like that a moment ago.

 

The elderly couple left after a while, leaving the coffee shop empty. Eren was bored so he took the notepad he used for writing orders and started doodling on it.

 

After around fifteen minutes, the bell over the door chimed as a customer came in. Eren put on a smile as his eyes rose to meet the customer but the smile soon fell as he saw who came in.

 

“What are you doing here, Zeke?”, he asked, his lips pulling into a frown at the sight of his brother.

 

The man was looking around the coffee shop with an unreadable expression before he turned his attention to Eren.

 

“Much hasn't changed around here", he commented as he stepped up to the counter, leaning his elbows on it.

 

“What are you doing here?”, Eren repeated firmly.

 

“I can't come to see my little brother?”, Zeke asked but sighed when the brunet glared at him, not believing what he was saying. “Okay, okay, father send me here.”

 

“Then you can leave", Eren said, his jaw clenched tightly and arms crossed. “I have talked to him already about my decisions. If he still has something to say, he can come here himself and not send a messenger.”

 

“Eren, you know he's busy-"

 

“So busy that he can't bother to contact his son for  _ years _ ? Yeah, right", Eren scoffed with a roll of his eyes.

 

“He apologized for that, didn't he?”, the older asked.

 

“Yeah, but afterwards told me to forget my mother and sell the coffee shop!”, the brunet snapped. “And he said that when I was still  _ grieving _ .”

 

“You know how he is. He can be a bit insensitive-”

 

“ _ ‘A bit insensitive’" _ , Eren huffed. “He is an  _ asshole _ , a fucking piece of shit.”

 

“Eren…”, Zeke sighed as he rubbed at his temples. “He just wants what's best for you.”

 

“What's best for me? He doesn't even  _ know _ me so how can he know what's fucking  _ best _ for me!?”, Eren shouted, slamming his fists onto the counter.

 

“Okay, calm down, Eren", the taller appeased. “I didn't come here to argue and fight with you. I meant it when I said that I also came to see you. I want to know how you’ve been.”

 

Eren sighed as he slowly calmed down, taking deep breaths.

 

“I’ve been...fine, I guess?”, he replied. “Or managing, at least.”

 

Zeke hummed. “There doesn't seem to be a lot of customers. Probably because of the outside", he said. “If you need some financial help, I can pitch in something and I’m sure that father-"

 

“It's fine. I have it under control", Eren assured but winced as he realized what he just said.

 

“Under control? How so?”, Zeke asked, his eyes narrowing in suspicion.

 

“It's a long story. Don't worry about it", the brunet reassured.

 

“You're not doing some shady business behind the scenes, are you?”, the older man asked with a frown. “Like selling drug or prostitution?”

 

“What!? No!”, Eren gasped, horrified that his brother would even think that. “What kind of person you think I am!?”

 

“I don’t know. I haven't talked with you all that much either these past years", Zeke shrugged. “People change.”

 

Eren sighed. While his father had completely lost contact with Eren after the divorce, Zeke had once in a while texted or called him. He didn't do it very often but he had still at least made an effort to somewhat keep in touch.

 

“But I can assure you, I’m not selling drugs or my body to anyone, okay?” he said with another sigh. Drugs he could still get but why did people think that he would start selling sex if he needed some extra cash?

 

“I trust you", Zeke said before a contemplating look rose onto his face. “Are you dating someone?”

 

Eren sputtered as his cheeks gained a reddish color, not expecting his brother to ask about  _ that _ .

 

“I take that as a ‘yes'", the older chuckled. “You better introduce me to him.”

 

“I’m not dating anyone!”, Eren insisted before shrinking back a little as he looked at the floor instead of the other man. “Or not yet, at least…”

 

Zeke raised a brow. “‘Not yet'?”

 

“It's...complicated”, Eren mumbled.

 

“He isn't gay?”, Zeke asked. Unlike their father, his brother knew of his sexual orientation. Eren had discussed his first time with Zeke and his older brother had been there to tell him that it was okay and that there was nothing wrong with him. He was a great brother but he just had so many similarities to his father that it was sometimes hard to trust him.

 

“He's...not exactly  _ gay _ , but bisexual. But that's not the problem”, Eren said, shifting from leg to another awkwardly. “I confessed to him a few weeks back. He said to give it time to see if my feelings for him were real and if he would fall for me when we got to know each other better.” He paused to consider his next words. “But now I think- I’m  _ sure _ that our feelings are mutual but…”

 

“But…?”

 

“Neither of us has really said anything...so I don't think we're really dating yet…”, Eren murmured, his cheeks slightly pink. Did he have to discuss this with his brother here where anyone could walk in at any moment?

 

“So that's it?”, Zeke hummed as he stroked his beard thoughtfully. “So what is he like?”

 

“Uh...umm...he's...a bit older and...short", the younger mumbled.

 

“How much older?”, his brother asked with a furrowed brow and a frown.

 

“Umm...15 years…”, Eren mumbled as he fiddled with a loose string that was sticking out of his work apron.

 

Zeke’s eyes were wide and his mouth opening and closing as he tried to think of what to say.

 

“Eren, he's...even older than  _ me _ ", he said incredulously.

 

“I know but…” A fond smile rose onto Eren’s lips. “But I love him.”

 

Zeke looked at him in surprise for a moment before sighing and shaking his head.

 

“You're an adult", he started. “You can make your own decisions. But be careful. I don't want you to end up with some predator.”

 

“Not you too", Eren groaned.

 

“What?”

 

“Nothing…”, he said, shaking his head.

 

They talked about Zeke’s work and girlfriend afterwards. He talked how he was thinking about proposing to her one of these days. Eren wished him good luck before the older man left, promising to come back again after Eren and his possible boyfriend were together so he could meet and evaluate him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If anyone's interested the song that Eren was singing is "This Feeling" by The Chainsmokers ft. Kelsea Ballerini.  
> Also I have a small question for you people: Do you have some woman that you ship Zeke with? Because there will most likely be some appearances in the future (Nothing too major though. Don't worry) and I was thinking of either Pieck or Yelena but since I don't hardcore ship Zeke with anyone, I guessed that I could listen to your suggestions on this.
> 
> Anyway, thank you for reading! Comments and kudos are appreciated as always! :)


	16. Messy Hair And Soft Kisses

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, everyone! New chapter! Enjoy~!

“Eren, I’m home", Levi called as he opened the door to his apartment before taking off his shoes and setting them aside after closing the door behind him.

 

It had been a few weeks but Levi still felt weird whenever he came back from work and to have someone waiting there for him. But it was a good kind of weird, especially since that someone was Eren.

 

Speaking of whom, the young man didn't answer him like usually which was strange.

 

_ Don't tell me-! _

 

Levi ran into his room quickly, almost slamming the door open as his eyes zeroed in on the door of the balcony. He slid the curtains and the door open and when he saw no one there, he froze. He held his breath, swallowing hard as he hesitantly peered over the railing and-

 

Nothing. There was nothing plastered against the pavement underneath his balcony.

 

He let out a long, relieved sigh as he slumped against the railing. However, that relief didn't last long. He saw Eren’s shoes by the door so was or at least  _ had been _ here. Levi knew if Eren was upset enough he wouldn't care to put his shoes on. Had he ran out? He wasn't at the bridge, though. Oh no, what if he had already jumped? Should he go and see if the snow on the railing had been disturbed lately? Maybe he should call the police-

 

Levi was pacing around his apartment franticly when there was a soft groan from the couch. He immediately circled the piece of furniture and the relief of seeing Eren curled there almost made his knees buckle beneath him.

 

The boy was rubbing his eyes as he slowly got up, a sleepy, dazed look on his face and his hair all over the place. He looked around as if he was lost before his bleary eyes settled on Levi.

 

“Ah...you're back", Eren said as he sat up properly, letting out a yawn. “Welcome back, Levi.”

 

Levi smiled as he looked at the cute creature in front of him and reached out to ruffle those brown locks. His hair was a tangled mess, strands pointing in all directions and some even defying gravity.

 

This boy was a mess. No wonder he almost had a heart attack because of this kid...

 

“Hm? What's wrong, Levi?”, the brunet asked with a worried frown as he watched the older man's smile fall slowly, but Levi shook his head.

 

“It's nothing. Don't worry about it", he reassured as he continued to run his fingers through Eren’s hair, trying to comb some sense into that mess of brown hair.

 

Eren bit his lip. He wanted to ask more but didn't want to pry too much. In the end, he decided not to risk getting Levi upset. If he said it was nothing, Eren would trust him. Instead, he leaned into the hand combing through his hair, his eyes closing involuntarily.

 

Levi’s heart was racing as he watched the young man. Here Eren was, leaning into his touch, eyes closed, a small smile on his face and the slightest tint of red coloring the tanned skin of his cheeks. He couldn't help leaning in slowly, hesitantly.

 

His lips were just a breath away from Eren’s and he was about to press forward when those bright green eyes suddenly snapped open, a gasp leaving rosy lips.

 

Levi flinched back from the brunet, afraid that he had done something wrong, and was about to apologize when Eren spoke up.

 

“I might've left the stove on!”, he said as he hastily stood up and ran to the kitchen, almost tripping over his own feet in his hurry.

 

Levi was left there by couch, blinking and trying to process what had happened. Eren didn't even notice what Levi was doing, did he? He was just worried about the stove, right? So he wasn't turned off by what Levi tried to do?

 

The older man let out a sigh as he stood up straight and walked into kitchen. Eren was by the stove, stirring a pot of something delicious based on the smell, but when  _ wasn't _ Eren’s cooking delicious?

 

“What do we have for dinner?”, he asked as he leaned on the kitchen counter by the stove to peer into the pot.

 

“Ham and mushroom risotto", Eren said as he stirred the risotto, making sure all ingredients were evenly mixed.

 

Levi hummed as he watched the young man intently.

 

Eren noticed his gaze, his cheeks gaining color as he averted looking at the short man.

 

“Do you mind?”, he asked.

 

“I don't mind", Levi replied, a smirk forming on his lips as the younger turned to glare at him. He let out a chuckle as he pushed himself off of the counter. “Fine, I’ll go set the table.”

 

Eren huffed as he reached into the overhead cabinet next to the stove and took out two bowls for them before filling both of them with food. He placed a lid on the pot and balanced the ladle he had used to mix the risotto on the lid in case either of them wanted seconds.

 

He then took Levi’s coffee mug out and poured some hot coffee in it before carrying the cup and the bowls to the table.

 

“I got your coffee", Eren said as he handed the cup to the black haired man before setting the bowls down.

 

Levi nodded his thanks and took a tiny sip of the warm liquid before placing it down as he walked back to the kitchen while Eren sat down to wait for him. It didn't take long before the older came back with a carton of milk and handed it to Eren.

 

“Thanks", the brunet said before pouring himself a glass of milk as Levi settled on the chair opposite of him before they started their meal.

 

“How was work?”, Eren asked after a while.

 

Levi shrugged. “Same as always. A shit ton of work and annoying coworkers...or at least one annoying coworker”, he told as a frown crept onto his face.

 

“Hanji as always, I assume?”, Eren asked with a chuckle. Levi really liked complaining about Hanji. “What did they do this time?”

 

Levi groaned as he rubbed at his temples like just the mention of Hanji’s name caused him a headache.

 

“I do something unusual and they’re immediately all over my face”, he grumbled. “Maybe I should just ask Erwin if I can lock that shitty four-eyes in a closet for a week…”

 

Eren let out a chuckle. “You say that but I know you consider them as a great friend”, he said, causing Levi to roll his eyes but he wasn’t denying the statement. “But what was that ‘something unusual’ that you did then?”

 

“It’s nothing”, Levi said with a sigh.

 

Eren pouted. “A lot of things have been ‘nothing’ today apparently”, he noted as he pushed his food around with his fork.

 

All Levi could think about was a kicked puppy when he looked at Eren. He debated the pros and cons of telling the brunet and came to the conclusion that he could handle the possible teasing from the young man better than the pouting.

 

“Okay, fine, I was smiling at work or something”, he admitted reluctantly.

 

Eren’s big, green eyes rose to stare at him, blinking a few times in confusion.

 

“What?”, Levi snapped when the other just kept staring at him.

 

“No, it’s just...I see you smile a lot so…”, the brunet trailed off.

 

_ Well shit _ . Levi indeed did smile a lot in Eren’s presence or even at the thought of him, hence why Hanji teased him in the first place…

 

“Who the hell smiles at work?”, he explained, maybe a bit too sharply, but he was getting slightly defensive about this.

 

Eren didn’t seem to mind his tone all that much. Well, he was used to Levi’s crude way of talking by now. But he was unusually silent as he observed the older man with a small frown on his lips.

 

“Do you not like your job?”, he asked softly after a while.

 

“Huh? How did you reach that conclusion?”

 

“Well, because you said ‘who the hell smiles at work’”, Eren explained. “If you do something you like, wouldn’t you normally smile? Maybe not always, but often enough that it’s not ‘unusual’?”

 

“Well, it’s not like you usually smile genuinely while doing your job either, right? I remember what you looked like the first time I visited your coffee shop”, Levi retorted with a frown.

 

“...That has nothing to do with me liking my job or not…”, Eren mumbled.

 

“Same with my work. Whether I smile or not has nothing to do with me liking or disliking my job”, Levi said, before sighing as he saw the other’s crestfallen expression. “Look, I’m sorry about that. I know you have...problems. I know you can’t do anything about them.”

 

“I was just worried, you know?”, the brunet muttered.

 

“I know. I’m sorry”, the black haired man said. “It’s just...I’m not a very smiley person and...I don’t know...I got defensive about it?”

 

“But you’re smiling a lot though?”, Eren questioned.

 

“Yes, when I’m with  _ you _ ”, Levi replied, locking eyes with the other to make his point come across.

 

“Oh…” Eren’s cheeks took on a crimson color as he realized what the short man meant. He stood up and grabbed his empty glass and bowl. “I-I’m done eating. I will go put these away.”

 

His face and ears were burning, he could feel it as he turned around to head into the kitchen but a hand around his wrist made him stop.

 

“Eren”, Levi called as he stood up, still holding onto Eren’s wrist. The brunet was sure that the other could feel his frantic heartbeat.

 

“Yeah?”, Eren said, trying to sound casual but avoided looking at Levi. His face must have been completely red at this point. He definitely didn’t want the other to see that…

 

“Eren, look at me”, Levi said as he took the bowl and glass from his hands and set them back on the table.

 

Eren hung his head but peeked down at Levi through his slightly overgrown fringe and gasped as he saw the older man.

 

Levi had a blush on his face, not as prominent as Eren’s but still very clear against his pale skin. He let go of the brunet’s wrist to cup his face with both of his hands.

 

His hands were cold against the warm skin of the brunet’s cheeks, the contrast in temperature only making the touch that much more noticable.

 

“Can I kiss you?”, Levi asked, barely audible.

 

“Eh?” If Eren’s face wasn’t already painted bright red previously, now it definitely was.

 

“Can I kiss you?”, Levi repeated, his eyes briefly flickering down to Eren’s lips as the younger bit on his bottom lip.

 

“Yeah”, the brunet said softly with a small nod as he let his lip go.

 

Levi pulled Eren’s face down gently before leaning in, their lips meeting in the middle. It was chaste and soft, lasting for just a few seconds, but it conveyed their emotions clearly nonetheless.

 

“I love you”, Levi said, his voice barely above a whisper and his breath ghosting over Eren’s lips which curled up into a warm and loving smile.

 

“I’ve been waiting to hear those words”, Eren whispered back, afraid that speaking too loudly would shatter the moment.

 

“Well, sorry, I took so long.” Levi let out a chuckle before leaning forward to press another fleeting kiss on those soft, slightly chapped lips.

 

“Mmhm...You did say to give it a month. There’s still around one more week for that”, the young man said as he leaned their foreheads together, their noses touching, a bright smile on his face.

 

“So you’re saying I should’ve held off for one more week?”, Levi asked teasingly as he dropped his hands from Eren’s face to wrap his arms around the other’s waist.

 

“No, I meant that I’m happy I didn’t have to wait one more week for... _ this _ ”, Eren said, giving a quick peck to the older man’s lips before he pulled away from Levi. “But we should put the dishes away now.”

 

Levi frowned as the brunet pulled away from him.

 

“I won’t get an answer then?”, he asked as the brunet stacked their dishes into one pile.

 

“You got your answer a few weeks ago”, Eren said teasingly as he turned to smirk at Levi.

 

The frown on the short man’s face only deepened and Eren let out a laugh at the sight. He almost skipped up to the man and pecked Levi on the cheek.

 

“I love you too”, he said with a grin before he taking the dirty dishes to the kitchen.

 

Levi could only shake his head fondly as a warm smile rose onto his lips. Eren was exactly what he had always wanted and needed in his life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading~ Comments and kudos are greatly appreciated as always~ ^w^


	17. Breakfast And The Boss' Office

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, everyone! I'm here with a new chapter! I really want to thank you all for the comments! I've been loving reading them!
> 
> Enjoy~!

Levi woke up feeling unusually refreshed and energized. He sat up and stretched his arms over his head, a soft hum leaving his lips as the smell food being cooked drifted into the bedroom. He got up and walked out of his bedroom towards the kitchen area.

 

Eren was still in his sleepwear by the stove, humming a cheerful tune as he cooked. His back was turned to Levi as he approached.

 

Levi wanted to go there and wrap his arms around Eren’s waist and kiss him before greeting ‘good morning’, but he felt like they weren't at such an intimate level yet. The thought seemed ridiculous. They had  _ kissed _ for fuck’s sake! A hug and a kiss surely wasn't overstepping any boundaries.

 

Even as he tried to convince himself that he could do it, that Eren wouldn't mind, he found himself backing out.

 

“Good morning”, he said simply instead, standing a couple of meters behind Eren.

 

The brunet stopped his cheerful humming and Levi almost regretted opening his mouth before Eren turned to him, the brightest smile on his face as he looked to the short man.

 

“Good morning”, Eren greeted as he gestured with his hand for Levi to come closer.

 

When the older man took the few steps needed to be close to the brunet, he was surprised when Eren leaned down to press a kiss to his cheek. Yeah, he should’ve gone with his original plan, Levi told himself, but this wasn't so bad either.

 

When the short man didn't respond for a while, instead standing there silently, Eren got worried. He fidgeted with the sleeves of his pajama shirt.

 

“Umm...was that- was that too much?”, he mumbled worriedly, biting his lower lip afterwards. Levi had noticed that he did that a lot.

 

The black haired male snapped out of his thoughts and shook his head before swallowing past his insecurities and wrapped an arm around Eren’s waist, pulling him close. He placed his other hand behind the brunet’s head, pulling him down a little before he pressed their lips together, kissing him tenderly.

 

Eren was unresponsive at first and Levi thought he had fucked up, before the young man started to move his lips against his hesitantly. It was unhurried and gentle, just lips moving against each other, as the brunet wrapped his arms around Levi's shoulders to lean into him.

 

The kiss lasted for a short moment before they separated, both of their lips wet and cheeks flushed. They stared at each other lovingly for a long while before Eren’s eyes widened and a gasp left his lips.

 

He turned back to the stove, hurriedly turning over the two patties that were on the frying pan before heaving a sigh of relief when they weren't burned.

 

“What are you making for breakfast?”, Levi asked as he leaned on the counter, eyeing the patties on the frying pan and bag of sliced bread set next to the stove on the counter. He could also see that Eren had taken out a carton of eggs and a stick of butter on the counter.

 

“I woke up a little later than usual so I’m just making something quick", Eren explained, his ears gaining color as he remembered that he had spent a lot of time in bed that morning after waking up to admire Levi. “I’m making simple oopperaleipäs.”

 

“A what now?”, Levi asked with a raised brow.

 

“Toasted bread with a meat patty and fried egg on top”, Eren explained.

 

Levi hummed. “Sounds good. Do you need help with anything?”

 

“Could you set the table?”, Eren asked as he placed the patties onto a plate for now before taking an egg from the carton and cracking it in the frying pan, adding some salt and pepper with it.

 

Levi nodded before he went to set the table. When he walked back to the kitchen area, Eren was already finishing with toasting two slices of bread on the frying pan. He leaned on the counter next to the stove, which had become his favourite place in the kitchen whenever the brunet was cooking.

 

“Oh, Levi, you set the table? Can you get us plates?”, Eren asked, pointing to the overhead cabinet with plates like Levi didn't know where the plates were.

 

“Sure", the older replied as he got two small plates for their breakfast, setting them down on the counter so Eren could plate the food.

 

The brunet placed the toasts on the plates first straight from the frying pan before setting the meat patties and fried eggs on top of them.

 

“I’ll take these to the table so can you pour us both coffee?”, Eren asked, looking at Levi with those big, beautiful eyes of his.

 

“Of course", the black haired man said before stealing a quick kiss from Eren’s lips, more comfortable doing it now that he knew the other was okay with it.

 

The brunet smiled as he went to take the plates to the table before going back to the kitchen as Levi finished pouring two cups of coffee, handing one to Eren.

 

Eren thanked him and took out the milk and sugar as he prepared his coffee to his tastes before following the other to the table.

 

They settled down to eat and Levi watched as Eren took his bread from the plate with his hands, ignoring the utensils Levi had put out. He grimaced as he watched the young man.

 

“Eren, your hands will get greasy", Levi noted as he cut a piece of his food with a fork and a knife as if to show example how to eat properly.

 

Eren frowned. “It's bread.”

 

“But it's  _ greasy _ bread", Levi emphasized.

 

“Don't worry I won't touch anything", Eren reassured with a roll of his eyes as he bit into his bread.

 

Levi sighed and shook his head in a resigned manner. There was no fighting with that damn brat. Especially since he loved that particular brat even with his greasy fingers.

 

Fuck, he was whipped. He would need to make sure Hanji never found out. He would never have a peaceful day after that.

 

“What did you make for lunch?”, Levi asked to get his mind off Hanji. He didn’t need to think about them this early in the morning.

 

Eren swallowed and took a sip of his coffee before answering. “Tuna salad sandwiches. I hope that’s alright?”

 

The older rolled his eyes at the slight insecurity in the other’s tone. “I have eaten store-bought premade food for years now. You think I’m picky?”, he asked.

 

“Probably not”, Eren murmured softly.

 

Levi let out a sigh before a smile rose onto his lips. “You should know that I love everything you make”, he assured, a feeling of smugness swelling in his chest as he watched the other’s tanned cheeks gain a reddish tint to them.

 

“And I love you”, Eren said and all previous signs of smugness immediately left the black haired man. Levi was glad that he wasn’t drinking right then because that would’ve made a mess.

 

“You will be the end of me”, Levi sighed as he rubbed at his face to hide the blush that crept involuntarily on his face. He was over 30 years old! He shouldn’t be blushing like a high schooler!

 

Eren let out a chuckle as he leaned closer and tilted his head, trying to take a peek at Levi’s face. “Death by embarrassment? Could be worse.”

 

The older sent him a glare through his fingers before pushing the young man with a smug grin away from his face.

 

“Sit down and eat, you brat”, he grumbled.

 

The brunet couldn’t help laughing out loud and at that point Levi couldn’t find it in him to frown and glare at the other anymore. It was as if all the embarrassment left him in favour of the love and affection he felt for this boy in front of him.

 

Yeah, he was pretty sure he was completely whipped, wasn’t he? And it hadn’t even been 24 hours yet since they started dating.

 

“But you know that I’m now  _ your _ brat”, Eren said cheekily with a grin.

 

“I don’t remember adopting a brat”, Levi scoffed.

 

“Oh? Daddy doesn’t want me anymore?”, the brunet purred, still that shit-eating grin on his face.

 

“Keep your kinks in the bedroom, Yeager! We’re eating!”, Levi said, which only caused the younger to laugh some more. He looked so much younger when he laughed, unburdened by whatever shit haunted his mind.

 

“I will remember that tonight then!”, Eren laughed as he finished his bread and coffee before standing up and escaping into the kitchen.

 

Levi could only roll his eyes as he finished with his breakfast.

 

* * *

 

Eren felt his phone buzz in his pocket briefly. He was serving a customer so he ignored it for now. After taking the latte to the middle-aged lady, he returned behind the counter and hesitantly took out his phone.

 

Since he had refused to answer his father's calls for the past few days and the old man’s plan with Zeke hadn't worked, he had started to message Eren multiple times a day. Eren had to be glad that it was only around his work hours and when Levi was still at work. He didn't want to worry the man with something like this.

 

Eren, however, heaved a sigh of relief as he noticed that instead of his father, it was his friend, Jean, who had sent him a message. That was a bit unusual. They rarely messaged each other, mixing like oil and water.

 

He read the message:

 

_ “Yo i have mu parents house all for me on halloween so evryone in fo sum party???” _

 

Eren was about to answer ‘hell yes’ to the invite automatically before he remembered that he would need to ask Levi. He and Levi were too old to go trick and treating so it wasn't like they had huge plans for Halloween. He still wanted to spend it with his _ boyfriend _ , possibly watching horror movies and munching on candy, but it had become kind of a tradition since high school to have a Halloween party with their group of friends.

 

Eren typed out a reply.

 

_ “U still liv at ur parents house? Cool dude cool.” _

 

He was sure the horse-face would send him a string of curses and say that he wasn't invited anymore but it was worth it.

 

* * *

 

Levi knew it couldn't be anything good when Erwin was standing by his desk when he came to work. Great, and the morning had started out so good too.

 

“What do you want now?”, he asked as he set his bag on his desk.

 

Erwin, long since used to Levi’s antics, wasn't swayed by the crude tone.

 

“I think it’s better that we talk in my office", the blond man said as he gestured for Levi to follow him to his office. He held the door open for the short man, closing it behind them.

 

Levi automatically went to the chair in front of Erwin’s desk and sat down while the tall man circled the desk and sat down in his chair.

 

“So? What is it? You're wasting my time. I have work to do", Levi snapped as he crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair.

 

“Funny you would say that when the amount of work you’ve done has decreased in the last few weeks”, Erwin said as he leaned forward to set his elbows on his desk, his fingers laced under his chin.

 

“I haven't had time to do so much work at home", Levi explained with a frown. “But I still do more work than the others so there shouldn’t be anything to complain about.”

 

“You’re right, but as your boss, I was concerned that you were possibly getting lazy with that sudden decline", the blond said but continued before Levi could say anything. “But I doubted that was it. It’s because of that kid you picked up, right?”

 

The short man let out a sigh as his arms fell to the armrests.

 

“Yes", Levi confirmed. “But before you say that he's a hindrance to my work let me just tell you that thanks to him I’ve been feeling a lot better lately.”

 

“Which is great", Erwin said. “As your boss I’m slightly sad by the decrease of work from my most diligent employee-" He held up a hand to halt Levi’s remarks so he could finish. “- _ but _ as your friend I’m happy that you're no longer overworking yourself and you seem to be getting sufficient amount of rest. As long as you don’t stoop to the level of certain someone who can’t stay on their own floor, I’m fine with it.”

 

Erwin had a friendly smile on his face at the end of his speech.

 

“It's all thanks to Eren", Levi said, not realizing the fond smile that formed on his lips.

 

However, the moment of tranquility was broken by a distressed shout before the door to Erwin’s office was slammed open.

 

“Hanji, you can't just go there!”, Moblit shouted as Hanji skipped into the office like they owned the place.

 

“Speaking of the devil…”, Levi groaned.

 

“Erwin! Is Levi in trouble!?”, Hanji asked as Moblit took hold of their other arm and started to drag them away.

 

“I’m sorry. I will take Hanji away right now”, Moblit said apologetically as he tried to pull the brunette out of the office.

 

“But Erwin didn't answer me yet!”, Hanji whined as they grabbed onto the door frame to resist being dragged away.

 

Erwin sighed tiredly and rubbed at his eyes while Levi was ready to kick Hanji out.

 

“Just let Hanji go. They can be here as we talk", the blond said.

 

Moblit nodded as he reluctantly let the brunette go. He closed the office door after him as he went out to wait.

 

“So is little Levi over here in trouble?”, Hanji asked as they bounced up to the desk.

 

“I will probably be soon for smashing my eccentric coworker’s face", Levi warned as he glared at that particular coworker.

 

“Yes, he's not in trouble  _ yet _ ", Erwin said, sending the short man a warning look that told him to behave, before Levi could act on his threat. “And I hope it stays that way.”

 

“So why is Levi here then?”, Hanji asked before gasping. “He's not getting promoted, is he?”

 

“No, he's not”, their boss said with a sigh. “We were just talking about the decrease in his work-"

 

“Decrease?”, the brunette asked. “Levi, you need to stop banging your cutie and focus on work!”

 

“We’re not banging! We have only just started dating!”, Levi yelled, regretting it when Hanji’s eyes brightened and even Erwin got that curious expression on his stupid face.

 

“Congratulations, Levi!”, Hanji exclaimed. “I’m so happy for you!”

 

“You have to introduce him to us properly now, Levi”, Erwin said with a smile.

 

“Like hell! Why would I do that? It’s like putting a kitten into a shark tank, you shits!”, Levi snapped.

 

“Don't worry! I promise not to eat him up no matter how cute little cupcake he is!”, Hanji reassured.

 

“ _ No. Fucking. Way _ ", Levi hissed.

 

“Levi, you haven't dated anyone since we were in high school”, Erwin said. “You  _ have to _ introduce him to us.”

 

“I dated during university!”, Levi insisted.

 

“We're not counting all of those who you dumped after a few days!”, the brunette said.

 

“How do you know I won't dump Eren after a few days then?”, Levi snapped. It hurt just to say that. He knew he wouldn't be dumping the brunet for a long time if ever.

 

“We just know", Hanji and Erwin said in unison.

 

Levi could only sigh and hope that they wouldn't follow him home today or something equally creepy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading~! Comments and kudos are, as always, greatly appreciated! ^w^


	18. Chapped Lips And Desire

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, everyone! I'm back again with another chapter!
> 
> Enjoy~

Levi sighed as he got home that day. It wasn't that work had been harder than usual but extended periods of socialising tired him out, especially if he was dealing with Erwin and Hanji.

 

“I’m home", Levi called as he took off his shoes, jacket and scarf. He was surprised when Eren popped into the hallway, coming up to greet him home.

 

“Welcome back", Eren said as he pressed a kiss to Levi’s cheek, and all exhaustion and thoughts of work fled the older man in a second.

 

“I could get used to this", Levi said as he placed his hands on Eren’s hips, running them up and down his sides.

 

Eren shivered at the touch, a light blush on his cheeks as he leaned down to kiss the black haired man on the lips this time.

 

“Well, you  _ should _ get used to it because it's what I’m planning on doing from now on", he said as their lips separated.

 

Levi let out a laugh as he pressed another kiss to Eren’s lips before pulling away, taking Eren’s hand as he led the brunet away from the door.

 

“What did you make for dinner?”, Levi asked. He set his bag in the side out of the way as they made their way to the kitchen hand-in-hand.

 

“We had leftover risotto so I made arancini with cream sauce”, Eren answered.

 

“And that is?”, Levi asked.

 

“Risotto balls.”

 

“Why do they have to have such a stupid name if they're just risotto balls?”

 

Eren shrugged as laugh bubbled out of him at Levi’s disgruntled expression. He leaned down to peck Levi’s cheek before he let go of the other’s hand and started taking out plates for them.

 

Levi briefly thought about setting the table but noticed that Eren had already done that. The brunet had apparently been vacuuming the apartment also since the vacuum cleaner was set out on the side.

 

“You were cleaning?”, Levi asked as he took the offered plates before taking them to the dining table without complaint.

 

“Just vacuuming today. Though, I still have our room left", Eren said.

 

Levi felt his heart skip a beat.  _ ‘Our  _ room’. Not just Levi’s room but both of theirs. It made him unbelievably happy and Eren didn't even seem to notice the slip up. But it was better that way.

 

“Sorry, I should've done it first. I can do it tomorrow if you have work you need to get done”, the brunet said apologetically as he set Levi’s cup of coffee and a milk carton on the table before sitting down.

 

“It's alright. I can work here too while you finish with  _ our _ room", Levi said, his voice turning teasing at the end.

 

At first Eren was confused with the emphasis before realization dawned on him, his cheeks gaining color.

 

“N-no...uh...I didn't- I just…”, Eren stammered, trying to come up with some explanation.

 

Levi chuckled at the other’s distress over the matter. “It's okay. Don't worry about it", he reassured before a thought came to him. “Actually, I’ve been thinking…”

 

Eren waited for Levi to continue but the older suddenly seemed to have trouble forming his thoughts into words.

 

“And?”, the young man prompted.

 

Levi rubbed at the back of his neck.

 

“I know we’ve been living together for a while now so I don't really know  _ why _ I’m asking. Or why it seems like such a big deal-"

 

“Levi, you're rambling”, Eren noted.

 

The older let out a short exhale. “Fuck it. Will you move in with me?”, he asked.

 

Eren could only blink at him as he processed the words.

 

“But I’m already living with you?”, he asked with furrowed brows.

 

Levi ran a hand over his face in slight frustration at himself. However, Eren thought it was for his lack of understanding and suddenly left bad for not getting what the other was talking about.

 

“What I meant was if you would be willing to live with me  _ permanently _ ”, Levi explained. “We’re already living together and now that we're dating I thought that what’s the point of you moving back to your apartment after it's renovated. We have just started dating so moving together seems a bit much but that's what we've been doing for the last couple of weeks so...yeah.”

 

“Oh" was all Eren could say as he took in everything the black haired man said.

 

“You don't need to decide now. You don't really need to decide for a few months now, really", Levi assured. “Just maybe before they start working on your apartment? Instead of having your apartment there, you could expand your coffee shop?”

 

Eren looked at him with wide eyes and Levi thought he had fucked up, been too hasty, before a smile rose onto the brunet's lips.

 

“You think I would say ‘no’ to living with my boyfriend?”, Eren said with a bright smile and oh, that did things to Levi’s poor heart. Maybe he should swing by the hospital to have his heart checked because of all the abuse it has been going through lately. Shit, when had he fallen so far in love?

 

“So you will?”, Levi asked, hating how hopeful his voice sounded.

 

“Of course", Eren replied as he stood up and rounded the table so he could cup  _ his boyfriend’s _ face before pressing a kiss to those soft lips. “I love you.”

 

The words were whispered softly, just for Levi to hear and his heart went into overdrive. Yeah, he was definitely visiting the hospital tomorrow.

 

“I love you too", Levi answered as he wound his arms around Eren’s waist, almost pulling the brunet onto his lap before leaning up to slot their lips back together in a slow and loving kiss.

 

Eren let out a whine when they pulled apart a moment later. He wanted to pull Levi close and kiss him again but a thumb pressing against his lips stopped him.

 

“We should eat before it gets cold", Levi advised as he ran his thumb along the brunet's chapped bottom lip. The boy really ought to stop biting his lip, even as adorable and hot as it was.

 

A shudder went down his back as Eren gave the tip of his thumb a quick lick. He could see the mischief and a spark of lust and desire in those ocean green eyes and, fuck, he wanted to take the young man to bed right then.

 

However, he had to remind himself that he didn't have any lube or condoms. He didn't want to go into it unprepared and end up hurting Eren.

 

“Let's eat", Levi said as he pushed Eren off him gently.

 

“I feel like eating something  _ meatier  _ right now", Eren purred and that look on his face at this point was nearing pure lust as he bit his lip seductively.

 

_ Not today, _ Levi said to himself.  _ No matter how fuckable he looks right now, not today, Levi! _

 

“I’m sorry, Eren, but not today, okay? I don't have lube or condoms”, he said, reaching out to caress a tanned cheek.

 

“I’ll be fine without”, Eren tried to convince as he placed his hand on Levi's.

 

“I don't want to hurt you", Levi said, silencing all of Eren’s protests with a kiss. “Besides, we both have work tomorrow. So let's just eat now, okay?”

 

Eren nodded softly before letting go of the older and sitting down to eat, a pouty expression on his face.

 

Levi made a mental note to go shopping tomorrow after work.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And surprisingly, Levi is cockblocking himself.
> 
> Thank you for reading! Comments and kudos are greatly appreciated as always! :)


	19. Confusion And Pain

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, everyone! I'm back with another chapter! This might be the only chapter before Christmas so I'm just going to say merry christmas/happy holidays to everyone now just in case.
> 
> Also I have a little warning before reading: I added a new tag that some of you may have noticed....so yeah there's self-harm so I'm warning you about that...
> 
> Enjoy...?

Levi groaned softly as he stirred awake, he blinked his bleary eyes a few times to get the sleep out of them. He reached out with his hand blindly for his nightstand to stop his alarm before he noticed that it was a soft tune instead of the sharp ringing of his alarm. He then noticed the warm body plastered onto his side, breathing softly.

 

Levi smiled fondly as he looked at the sleeping brunet before reaching to the nightstand on Eren’s side to shut off his alarm, careful not to knock off Eren’s vase. The young man was always getting up before him to make breakfast and then after work making dinner, helping to keep the place clean and preparing their lunches for the next day. He had been working so hard, Levi could let him sleep longer today and make breakfast every once in a while.

 

He reluctantly got out of the warmth of the bed and Eren and after stretching, headed to the kitchen to make them breakfast.

 

It was after over half an hour when Eren stirred. He rubbed at his eyes before blinking a few times. Still dazed from sleep, he grabbed his phone and looked at the time, the light hurting his eyes.

 

He let out a gasp and quickly shot up from bed, only afterwards remembering to check up on Levi. He was confused when the older man was nowhere to be seen.

 

“Levi?”, Eren called out, his voice slightly hoarse from sleep.

 

There was the sound of footsteps and soon enough the bedroom door was opened to reveal the short man.

 

“Is something wrong?”, Levi asked as he walked to the bed and cupped one of Eren’s cheeks.

 

“No", Eren answered as he leaned into the touch. “Why are you up already?”

 

“I was making us breakfast so you could sleep some more. It's almost ready", Levi replied as he gently caressed the soft cheek.

 

“You made breakfast?”, Eren asked, his eyes wide and bright.

 

“Yes.” Levi decided that it was definitely a good idea to make them breakfast when he saw how Eren’s expression brightened up, his eyes almost sparkling. He wondered how someone could become so happy over something so simple. No, one look at the brunet’s smile and Levi understood it because just seeing that made him more happy than it should’ve. “I will go finish up while you get up, okay?”

 

Eren nodded before Levi turned away from the bed with a small smile on his face.

 

“Ah! Wait, Levi!”, the brunet suddenly called out, causing Levi to turn back to look at him with a raised brow. “Good morning.”

 

Levi’s lips pulled upwards into a soft smile.

 

“Good morning.”

 

* * *

 

“Oh right", Eren said as they were putting their dishes into the dishwasher after breakfast.

 

“Hm?”

 

“My friend is holding a Halloween party and I was wondering if it's alright if I go?”, Eren asked almost hesitantly.

 

“If you want to go, I can't exactly stop you", Levi said, feeling slightly disappointed. Halloween was on a Sunday, the only day in the week neither of them had work, so he thought they could spend their first day off since they started dating together. “But please don't drink too much.”

 

“I won't!”, Eren promised with a happy smile before it turned mischievous. He took a step towards Levi, closing the space between them, before placing his hands on those broad shoulders. “But the party starts in the evening so you have me for the first half of the day.”

 

Levi pulled Eren down by the collar of his pajama shirt, pressing their lips together in a passionate kiss.

 

Eren moaned into the kiss when Levi’s hands dropped from his shirt to his waist to pull their bodies closer together. The brunet's hands slid from Levi’s shoulders into his hair, running his fingers through silky, black strands. He opened his mouth and swiped his tongue against Levi’s lips, asking for entrance when he was suddenly pushed away and rather harshly.

 

“Eh?” was all Eren could manage to utter, his eyes wide and heart beating fast.

 

“Sorry, Eren. I have work so we can't right now. I will make it up to you later", Levi said before he turned around and quickly walked away.

 

Eren stood there in shock for a while, mind trying to process what had happened. Levi...rejected him?

 

After a while he could hear the water running in the shower and he was reminded of the dirty pan in the sink. He started to wash it, scrubbing it clean from the grease and bits of eggs and bacon.

 

When he was done, he went into their bedroom to change the sheets so he could do laundry. His mind was still spinning. Sure, they had work but that didn’t seem like a good reason to suddenly push him away like that. Was Levi already tired of him?

 

As he was walking to the laundry room with the sheets, the bathroom door opened, revealing Levi in a bathrobe, his hair still damp, but Eren just forced a smile as he walked past. He hoped Levi didn't realise how fake it was.

 

“You're doing laundry?”, Levi asked, making him pause when he was opening the laundry room door.

 

“Yes, I’m putting the washer on now so it will have finished when I get back”, Eren explained. He waited for a moment for Levi to say something else but he only hummed so Eren walked into the laundry room and closed the door behind him.

 

He took his time organizing the dirty laundry by color. After a while there was a short knock at the door before it was opened slightly. He knew it was Levi without looking so he didn't.

 

“I’m going to work now", the black haired man informed.

 

Eren hummed. “Have a nice day.”

 

The air felt heavy and the atmosphere awkward and Eren was sure the other could feel it too. He hoped Levi would say or do something. Explain his actions or  _ something, anything. _

 

Levi hesitated for a moment by the door before leaving without another word.

 

There were no goodbyes, kisses or hugs. No ‘I love you’. No nothing.

 

Eren couldn't help the tears that spilled from his eyes.

 

Levi doesn't want him.

 

_ But he said, he would make it up later? _

 

He will only be rejected again.

 

_ He has work. It couldn't be helped _ .

 

That push was pretty harsh.

 

_ He was going to be late. He couldn't help it. _

 

He doesn't want  _ you. _

 

_ No, he just- _

 

_ You're scarred and broken. _

 

_ You're ugly, disgusting. _

 

_ Disappointment. _

 

_ Failure. _

 

_ Waste of space, time and money. _

 

_ He doesn't want you. _

 

_ He hates you. _

 

Eren clutched at his ears, his eyes tightly shut as tears fell from them, hiccups and sobs bubbling from his mouth.

 

He tried to shut off the voices. Tried to deny them. He knew they were wrong. He  _ knew. _

 

He was loved. He was wanted.

 

_ No, you aren’t. He's already tired of you. Wasn't this why you stopped dating? Because you will  _ always _ be left behind? _

 

_ Disappointment to your father. He left because of you. You made your mother miserable. If she hadn't needed to raise you, she would've had money for the surgery. She would be alive. You killed her. _

 

_ Same with Levi. He's with you only out of pity. You only want his money. You scum. You- _

 

Eren couldn't listen to it anymore. He ran out of the laundry room and into the kitchen. He opened a drawer and pulled out a fillet knife.

 

He placed it against his wrist but before he could draw blood, he paused.

 

He can't dirty the wooden floors. Levi would be angry at him. So he walked to the bathroom. The air was still humid from Levi's shower and the tub underneath the shower wet but he didn't care as he sat down in the bathtub.

 

He briefly looked at the sharp knife in his hand. He could see his reflection and his eyes looked terrible, red and puffy.

 

He didn't care as he slid the blade across his skin, red seeping out of his skin.

 

The pain helped. The voices left him alone and his head started to clear. It was completely silent.

 

_ I fucked up. _

 

He cut again.

 

_ I promised Levi not to do this. _

 

More blood spilled out.

 

_ I thought I had gotten better. _

 

He slid the blade on his wrist.

 

_ I haven't done this in weeks. _

 

His wrist was completely red, blood dripping down onto his clothes. He was doing laundry. Levi wouldn't notice. He wouldn't know.

 

_ I’m fucked up. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah so that happened... Sorry...?
> 
> Also as a side note: yes, they're talking about Halloween. There will be a very very late Halloween chapter because I wrote these chapters before Halloween but with my update schedule they ended up all the way over here so....yeah...
> 
> Thank you for reading and comments and kudos are appreciated as always.


	20. Blood And Tears

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, everyone! I hope you all had a great Christmas! I'm back with another chapter! Tbh, I'm so tired right now that I wasn't sure if I could update this fic this week. My mom's in the hospital and going to have a surgery so I'm just stressed out...But I managed to get this out so I hope you enjoy~

Levi sighed as he ran a hand through his hair in frustration. He couldn't concentrate on work. All he could think about was Eren’s shocked face when he pushed him away and how distant the brunet had been afterwards.

 

He should have said something. Maybe he could send a text...But that seemed cheap; a coward’s way out.

 

“Levi, is something wrong?”, Petra asked as she handed him a pile of papers.

 

“Just tired of filling out papers. Nothing new", Levi said as he took the papers. Great, more work when he couldn't even focus on the task at hand.

 

Petra was silent for a while, standing by his desk. He raised his eyes to her, lifting an eyebrow for her to spill her mind.

 

She leaned in. “Does it have something to do with your boyfriend?”, she whispered so others wouldn't hear it.

 

“How do you know that we’re together?”, Levi asked with a suspicious look, narrowing his eyes.

 

A sheepish smile rose onto Petra’s lips. “Hanji told us", she explained. “But only us. They didn't go spreading the information around.”

 

Levi sighed as he rubbed at his temples. He could feel a headache coming. He would kill Hanji for sure next time he saw them.

 

“Yes, it's about Eren", Levi decided to say. He was screwed at the moment so hearing some advice wouldn't hurt. Petra was also trustworthy and actually helpful unlike a certain brunette.

 

“What happened?”, Petra asked quietly.

 

“I fucked up", Levi whispered with another sigh. “We were...We just...Let’s say that things were getting a bit  _ heated _ …”

 

“And?”, Petra prompted before gasping as a thought came to her. “Don't tell me you pushed him down against his will?”

 

“No, of course not!”, Levi said a bit too loudly, gaining a few curious stares. One glare all around, however, was enough to get everyone back to work. He sighed. He had been doing that more than work today, hadn’t he? “I didn't push him  _ down, _ I pushed him  _ away _ and rather harshly…”

 

“You didn't want ‘things to get heated’?”, she asked softly, not at all embarrassed by this talk. Her soft, innocent look was sometimes very deceiving.

 

“Yes and no", Levi answered. “I would've wanted to do it. I really  _ really _ would’ve loved to just push him against the nearest surface but I had to get to work and I don't have...the proper stuff so I panicked a bit because I was afraid I would hurt him and ended up pushing him away.” He let out another frustrated sigh as he ran his hands through his hair, messing it up. “And this wasn't the first time I rejected his advances. I did yesterday also.”

 

“Then talk it out with each other and say that you're sorry. He probably feels unwanted right now so you will need to assure him that you were only looking out for him and that you still want him", Petra advised with a encouraging smile. “It will be fine.”

 

“But I still have at least eight hours of work", Levi said. “I can't just text or call him. I want to say it face-to-face.”

 

“Well, you will see him on lunch break, right?”, the redhead said. “Tell him then.”

 

And that was what Levi was planning on doing but when he went down to the coffee shop, it was closed.

 

“That's weird", Levi murmured as he looked at his watch. It was the same time as always. The shop should be open by now.

 

He took out his phone and dialled Eren’s number. He didn't care if he got his coffee or not, he was more worried about the brunet. And he was getting more and more concerned by every unanswered ring until the call went into voicemail.

 

“Fuck", he cursed as he began to run towards his apartment. Fuck his work. He had a bad feeling about this and he needed to make sure Eren was fine.

 

He stopped on the bridge. The snow on the railing was undisturbed everywhere so heaved a sigh of relief. At least, the brunet hadn't jumped into the river.

 

He ran back to his apartment, up the stairs and hastily unlocked and opened the door.

 

“Eren?”, he called, but there was no answer. His stomach was in knots as he walked around his apartment.

 

He first went to the bedroom and balcony, then living room and kitchen before opening the bathroom door. He felt his stomach drop at the sight.

 

Eren was sitting in the tub, unmoving and blank eyes staring at the ceiling.

 

He rushed forward and it only got worse as he saw the drying blood and the bloody knife.

 

“Eren!?”, he shouted as he knelt next to the tub and placed his hand to Eren’s pulse.

 

It seemed to snap the brunet out of whatever trance he was under as his eyes started blinking before those bloodshot eyes turned to look at him in horror. He let out a gasp.

 

“Levi, I-”

 

“Thank god", Levi said as he hugged the young man tightly, tears spilling from his eyes.

 

“I-I’m-"

 

“What were you thinking, Eren!?, Levi shouted as he withdrew from the hug, cupping those tanned, tear-stained cheeks instead.

 

“I’m sorry. I-I just-”

 

“Just what? Do you know how worried and scared I was? For a moment I thought you were  _ dead! _ ”, Levi yelled. He knew raising his voice wasn't a good idea but he couldn't think clearly right now.

 

“What does it matter!? You don't want me anyway!”, Eren shouted back, tears running down his cheeks.

 

Levi’s eyes softened and guilt filled his chest. Of course, this was his fault.

 

“Eren, I never said I didn't want you. I do. I really do want to touch you and make love to you but I just didn't want our first time, when we’re just learning each other bodies, to be bad or to hurt", Levi explained as he wiped tears from Eren’s cheeks.

 

“I don't mind the pain", Eren said through a sob as he lifted his mutilated wrist, most of the blood dried and caked onto the cuts. “Can’t you see what I’ve done? You think I care if it hurts?”

 

Levi’s lips pulled into a frown. “If  _ this  _ is what you want to associate with sex; if you put  _ self-harm _ and  _ making love _ in the same category, maybe it's better that we don't have sex", he said. “At least until you get help.”

 

“Eh?” Tears were streaming down from Eren’s wide eyes, his lips quivering. “I knew it. I’m just a fucked up disappointment who can't do anything right.”

 

“No, you're not. You're _ sick. _ You have problems. There's nothing you can do about it", Levi assured firmly. “We will get you help, okay?”

 

“I’m supposed to be an independent adult but I have to rely on you to feel fine and then one wrong word or move and I go off", Eren cried. “You think I can get better? You think I can be  _ fixed _ ?”

 

“I  _ know _ you will get better with help. I know you can do it", Levi reassured with a soft smile. “Getting help doesn't make you weak, Eren. Crying doesn't make you weak. You're strong, Eren. Strong and beautiful.”

 

Eren wrapped his arms around Levi tightly and let all he had held inside for years just come out in the form of loud crying. He was getting Levi’s clothes wet and dirty but he couldn't care right now as Levi held him in his arms, letting him cry his heart out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading~ As always, I appreciate the comments and kudos! They're what keep me motivated to update weekly! ^w^


	21. Hope And Desire

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, everyone! I'm here with another chapter and boy oh boy it's once again pretty massive. Okay, maybe not as long as some of the chapters but still longer than usual. Also I'm tired so there may be some mistakes so forgive me for that! But anyway I hope you enjoy~ ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Eren went to see a therapist the next day. He had been his normal, cheerful self in the morning and Levi almost thought he had dreamed the whole incident if it wasn't for Eren’s puffy, red eyes and the bandages on Eren’s left wrist.

 

Due to leaving work early the previous day, Levi had to compensate for the missed hours and therefore had to stay at the office two more hours than usually before heading home. He would still need to do that for the next few days but at least Erwin wasn’t firing him. Levi was sure that even the blond man had limits to how much he would let Levi’s actions slide, friends or not, but he was just glad that his boss understood him when he explained everything.

 

Levi sighed tiredly as he looked at the time on his phone. It was so late already.

 

This was what he had been doing prior to meeting Eren and now he had to wonder how he ever managed to do that. He was exhausted and just wanted to curl up in bed with his boyfriend. He sure as hell wasn't looking forward to doing any extra work at home...

 

When he opened the door, he was immediately greeted by Eren before he could even close the door behind him.

 

“Welcome back”, Eren said as he hugged Levi, pressing a kiss to his cheek.

 

“I’m home", Levi answered, slightly stunned by the sudden appearance before a smile crept onto his lips as he hugged the brunet back. “I’m guessing the visit to the therapist went well?”

 

Eren nodded before nuzzling Levi’s hair.

 

“That's good. Have you eaten yet?”, Levi asked.

 

“No, I was waiting for you.”

 

“Then you can tell me more about your day over dinner", the short man said before he pulled away from the embrace so he could take off his shoes and jacket before he held his hand out for the other to take.

 

Eren took the offered hand happily, humming softly as they walked into the kitchen.

 

Eren talked without pausing throughout the dinner, Levi getting only a few words in here and there. He didn't mind though. He was happy that Eren was so cheerful and full of life today. He seemed happier than usual but Levi was sure that it only seemed that way because of how gloomy and sad the brunet had been yesterday. But either way it was, Levi was glad he convinced his boyfriend to go to the therapist if this was the result from just one visit. He didn’t want to let his guard down. He knew that Eren wasn’t ‘cured’ with just one visit to the therapist but even so he couldn’t help but let himself be lulled into this sense of security that everything was now alright when he knew it wasn’t. Not yet, at least.

 

Shaking the dark thoughts out of his head, Levi smiled softly as they placed their dishes in the dishwasher, Eren telling him about his friends at the moment and their annual Halloween parties.

 

“I’m glad the therapist turned out to be a good thing", Levi commented when there was a pause in Eren’s storytelling.

 

The brunet looked to him with surprise before a small, slightly wistful smile formed onto his lips. He nodded softly.

 

“It felt...liberating, I guess? To talk about all of my thoughts and problems to someone without getting judged or having to worry that they would spread the word around”, he said with a shrug before laughing a bit sheepishly. “Although, I basically just cried and vented everything out to her. I wonder if she now needs a therapist.”

 

“Don't be silly", Levi said, shaking his head with a small chuckle. “Though, I’m surprised you opened up to her so quickly.”

 

“Well, I was telling you about my family problems when we barely knew each other so I don't think it's that weird", Eren replied with a huff.

 

“Oh? Should I be worried that she's going to snatch you from me?”, Levi teased, trying to lighten up the mood.

 

Eren let out a snort and he rolled his eyes before smiling as he wrapped his arms around Levi's neck.

 

“Don't worry. My type is exclusively short, old men who have a gruff, surly personality and a caffeine addiction”, Eren said teasingly.

 

Levi chuckled. “You, my dear, have a terrible taste in men", he said, shaking his head incredulously as he placed his hands on Eren’s hips.

 

Eren hummed. “Maybe, but my boyfriend treats me well so it can't be that bad.”

 

“Does he now?”, Levi asked, raising an amused brow.

 

“Mmhm...He could take me to bed sometime soon though", Eren said, his voice dropping as he stared at Levi with those charming ocean green eyes.

 

“I’m sure he would love to take such a sexy brat to bed but he might've forgotten to buy lube and condoms”, Levi whispered as he pressed their lips together briefly. He was too tired from work today to even try to remember and yesterday sex had been the last thing on his mind.

 

“I guess that's a promise for a hot Halloween night then?”, Eren asked as his fingers ran over the short hairs of Levi’s undercut.

 

“Sounds like a plan", Levi hummed as he slid his hands down to knead Eren’s buttocks, the brunet gasping at the attention.

 

“D-don't get me excited if we're n-not going to do anything”, Eren whimpered as the black haired man continued to grope his butt.

 

“Isn't that a little late?”, Levi asked with a pointed look down between their bodies at the tent in Eren’s pants, not that Levi was any better off. “And we can have some  _ fun _ without putting it in.”

 

A shiver went down Eren’s back at the sultry voice and a small whimper escaped his lips. Levi’s whispered promise to do something about the heat slowly spreading all over his body went straight to his crotch and he didn’t even feel like trying to hide it.

 

Eren connected their lips again in a heated kiss. This time when he swiped his tongue on Levi’s lips hesitantly, he wasn't pushed away. Instead, the older opened his mouth, letting him in, letting him explore.

 

The brunet let out a moan as their tongues wrapped around each other, pushing and seeking dominance over the kiss. He happily let the older take the lead, content with just going along with the dance.

 

Levi turned them around, pulling away from the kiss momentarily and relenting his hold on Eren’s soft behind to slide his hands back to the younger’s hips so he could guide them to a better place. Despite wanting to bend the boy over the kitchen counter and fuck him senseless, now wasn't the time for that.

 

He led them to the couch instead, pushing Eren backwards even as their lips continued seeking each other. Once they were next to it, he sat down, pulling Eren to sit on his lap.

 

Their breaths were heavy, mingling between them as Eren started gyrating his hips against Levi’s, desperate for some friction. Levi let out a sound that was somewhere between a moan and a grunt as he grabbed hold of the younger man’s waist, pressing them closer to each other so there was little space between them.

 

Meanwhile Eren’s hands were busy trying to unbutton Levi’s white dress shirt while his lips seeked out Levi’s once again. The angle was slightly awkward with the height difference, especially since it was more than normally as the brunet was sitting on Levi’s lap but they managed to press their lips together. If there was a bit of teeth involved, neither of them cared.

 

Eren felt Levi’s hands slide from his waist to underneath his shirt, slowly sliding the hem upwards, his cold fingers caressing warm, tanned skin. He shuddered at the touch and pushed his hips down to meet with Levi’s, both of them moaning into the kiss.

 

“F-fuck", Levi cursed as they parted so he could pull Eren’s shirt over his head. “Stand up.”

 

Eren complied with difficulty, his knees weak with all of the building pleasure. He shimmied out of his pants and underwear slowly as he watched as Levi undressed himself also.

 

They had seen bits and pieces of each other naked but seeing the whole deal was an entirely different thing. Especially since Levi was well endowed despite his short stature and Eren didn’t even care that he was shamelessly ogling his boyfriend.

 

“Like what you see?”, Levi asked teasingly as he noticed what the brunet was looking at.

 

“Love it", Eren answered as he pushed the short man back onto the couch before straddling his hips. He let out a loud moan as their now bare cocks touched.

 

“I’m not com- Ngh- I’m not complaining about the v-view either", Levi said, moaning and grunting as Eren started to move his hips, rubbing their erections together.

 

He wrapped his fingers around their hard-ons and started pumping them up and down. The movement wasn't all that smooth at first but it got better as precum dripped down their members, making them more slippery.

 

Eren moaned a bit too loudly as he bucked into the hand and Levi had a feeling his neighbors heard it. He was torn between wanting to let them know that Eren was his and wanting to keep those sounds only to himself.

 

Thankfully, he didn't need to make that decision as Eren pressed their lips together before his hand joined Levi’s around their cocks.

 

The man cursed and let out a moan as the warm hand touched his hot, erect length. It was one thing to rub his and Eren’s cocks together but the feel of that tanned hand fondling him added to that felt even better.

 

The room was filled with the smell and sound of sex as Levi sped up his hand movement, urging Eren to do the same. He was getting closer to the edge and he was glad to notice that Eren wasn't that far off either if the sloppiness of the kiss and the fingers digging into his shoulders were any indication.

 

It was after a few more pumps that Eren came with a scream of Levi's name, pulling away from the kiss, his back arching as he painted their hands and stomachs with his release and the sight of that was all the black haired man needed to climax, more cum spurting between them.

 

Levi leaned against the backrest as he came down from his high, watching the ceiling as he panted, while Eren slumped against him, chin resting on his right shoulder.

 

Levi belatedly thought that it wasn't a good idea to do this on the couch but was relieved that no cum seemed to spill on it, thankfully, everything staying between them. However, it was only a matter of time until the semen would drip onto the cushions. Despite his inner turmoil over dirtying couch, he placed his hands on the small of Eren’s back and drew circles into the smooth skin with his fingers. He could worry about the couch later and now just enjoy the afterglow and Eren’s warmth against him.

 

And so they stayed like that for a while before it started to get cold as the sweat and cum began to dry on their skin.

 

“Let's go take a shower", Levi said, grimacing at the sticky feeling.

 

Eren hummed and nodded before trying to get up but his movement was stopped.

 

“What?”, he asked, his brows furrowed in confusion when Levi slid his hands to his butt.

 

“I will lift you so wrap your legs around me", Levi said.

 

“Wha- Wait! Hold on, Levi! I’m a  _ bit _ bigger-!”, Eren yelped as the short man lifted him up with ease. He quickly wrapped his legs and arms around Levi snugly. “You will fall!”

 

“No, I won't, you big baby", Levi snorted as he pressed a kiss to the side of Eren’s face. “Now stop squirming. I don't want to clean cum off the carpets and floors.”

 

“So that's why you're doing this…”, Eren murmured with a roll of his eyes.

 

“Yes”, Levi answered before a mischievous smirk rose onto his lips. “Also I can have my hands on  _ this  _ treasure.”

 

Eren let out a whimper as the black haired man squeezed at his buttocks, his face turning red.

 

“Isn't it a bit late to be blushing?”, Levi chuckled as he saw Eren’s ears turn red.

 

“Shut up, Levi”, the brunet mumbled as he hid his face in the crook of Levi's neck.

 

Once they were in front of the bathroom, Levi turned so that his back was to the door.

 

“Can you open it?”, he asked.

 

“Sure", Eren said as he reached over Levi's shoulder to push down on the door handle.

 

Once the door was slightly ajar, Levi turned around and opened it with his leg the rest of the way. He carried the brunet inside before letting him down and closing the door afterwards. It wasn’t like there was anyone who would walk in on them unless Hanji still had  _ another _ copy of his apartment key stashed somewhere but- no, yeah, he wasn’t taking that risk. Better safe than sorry. Although, he was contracting himself as they were just rubbing their dicks together in the middle of the living room area.

 

Levi was brought out of his thoughts as his eyes settled on Eren. Normally he would've been disgusted by the sight of drying cum dripping down the young man’s stomach and thighs but fuck, he was more aroused than anything, and Eren noticed his gaze.

 

“Like what you see?”, Eren asked, using Levi’s words from a while ago, as he ran a hand down his body, spreading the cum around.

 

“Love it", Levi growled out as he grabbed onto the brunet’s shoulders, pulling him down, and slotted their lips together.

 

Eren moaned into the kiss and Levi took the opportunity to shove his tongue into the brunet’s mouth, mapping out every crack and crevice before half-heartedly battling for dominance with Eren’s tongue.

 

“Can’t we just do it, please?”, Eren pleaded when they parted. “We won't make a mess here and we can use soap as a lubricant.”

 

“You horny little brat", Levi scoffed before he shook his head. “Using soap will hurt more later on.” His voice dropped then as he whispered right next to Eren’s ear. “If you're patient, tomorrow night will be much, much better.”

 

Eren gulped as a shiver went down his spine at the low voice. He nodded softly as he reigned in his dirty thoughts for now.

 

Levi, pleased by the compliant look on Eren’s face, took a step back but not before giving a light slap to that smooth ass.

 

Eren let out a gasp at the sudden contact and the older had to fight the smirk that threatened to take over his lips as the brunet gave him a half-hearted glare with a cute pout on his lips.

 

“Come on. Get in here", Levi said as he got into the tub and started the shower.

 

Eren rolled his eyes and tried to keep glaring at the black haired man but Levi’s arms wrapping around his waist and pulling him close washed his glare away easily as their lips locked together in a tender kiss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading~ Comments and kudos are greatly appreciated as always! ^w^


	22. Sunday Morning And Bubbles

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, everyone! I'm back with another chapter! Enjoy~

Levi decided that Sunday mornings would definitely be his new favorite thing. When he woke up, it wasn't to an alarm or a call. He just woke up when he had rested enough, but that wasn't why the morning was so great.

 

It was because when he woke up, he had Eren snuggled up in his arms, pressed comfortably against him. Levi loved the warmth of the brunet's body, the soft breathing ghosting over his bare chest and just the complete tranquility. He could hear the occasional car going down the road and the faint chirping of birds but it was otherwise quiet.

 

Levi slowly moved his right hand from underneath the blanket where it had been resting on Eren’s waist and settled it softly onto the boy’s cheek. He caressed the smooth, tanned skin with his fingers before brushing Eren’s hair away from his forehead and eyes.

 

He ran his fingers through the soft, brown hair for a while before stopping as the young man stirred awake slowly, letting out a soft groan.

 

“Levi?”, Eren asked as he blinked his bleary eyes open, his voice full of sleep.

 

“Sorry, I woke you up. Just go back to sleep”, Levi whispered as he kissed Eren’s forehead and resumed with running his fingers through that tangled mess of hair. As the brunet mumbled something incoherent and snuggled back against Levi, the older couldn't help but chuckle fondly.

 

“What's so funny?”, Eren mumbled, his voice slightly muffled by Levi's chest. The movement of his lips against Levi’s bare skin made the older suppress shiver.

 

“Just wondering how you manage wake up before me every day if you're like  _ this _ when you wake up", Levi explained.

 

“Willpower and determination”, Eren answered, nuzzling the older’s chest. “We’ve lived together for a few weeks now. How come you only now notice?”

 

“We’ve lived together for a few weeks, yes, but this is the first time I’m seeing you all sleepy and snuggly in the morning”, Levi replied. “You're usually up before me but even when you're not, you never stay in bed after waking up.”

 

“I have to make breakfast so I don't have time to just snuggle up on workdays", Eren answered sleepily. “And we haven't had days off since we started dating so I haven't had a chance to snuggle up with you.”

 

“If you keep being so adorable, I might just eat you up", Levi teased.

 

“I wouldn't mind”, Eren answered as he raised his upper body so he could look at Levi with those half-lidded, bright green eyes of his. He pushed Levi’s back against the mattress, the older letting him, before pressing their bare chests against each other as he leaned over to kiss Levi.

 

“Fuck, Eren, don’t tempt me so early in the morning. I might actually take up the offer", Levi groaned before wounding his arms around Eren’s shoulders to pull him into another kiss.

 

“I wouldn't mind”, the brunet repeated once they separated. “But I was promised an amazing Halloween night if I was patient. I don't think I should risk it.”

 

“You were so sleepy and adorable a moment ago. Where did this horny, sexy beast come from?”, Levi asked as he ran his hands in Eren’s messy hair.

 

“But I’m not the only one", Eren teased as one of his hands ran down Levi’s bare chest and abdomen, feeling the defined muscles. He felt slightly jealous at the man’s fit and gorgeous body but it was overshadowed by the thought that all of this was now  _ his _ .

 

Eren’s fingers soon touched the waistband of Levi’s underwear and the older man couldn't help the groan that escaped him once they slipped under it.

 

The brunet teased the head of Levi’s half hard cock with his fingers, thumbing at the slit, before he wrapped his hand around the girth.

 

Levi let out a moan and drew his head against the pillows as Eren started sliding his hand up and down his cock. He dug his nails into the brunet's shoulders as Eren sped up the movement of his hand.

 

“F-fuck, Eren...Nghh-", Levi grunted out as he was pumped to full hardness. He squeezed his eyes shut tightly as a moan was ripped out of him when Eren tightened his hold on the hot length briefly.

 

Suddenly the hand was gone and Eren was getting up from over him. Levi opened his eyes, suppressing the whiny groan he was about to let out as Eren moved further down the bed.

 

“Eren-", Levi gasped as the brunet wrapped his lips around his erection after pushing his underwear down and out of the way.

 

Levi let out a loud moan as he felt that hot mouth envelope his cock.

 

“F-fuck", he cursed and reached down to grab at Eren’s hair. “W-where did that cute little blushing virgin Eren go?”

 

Eren came back up from Levi’s cock with a soft pop, his hot breath ghosting over the head of the wet length.

 

“You know I’m not a virgin”, Eren murmured before sinking back onto the hot member as if to demonstrate his point.

 

Levi grunted at the feeling of Eren around his cock.

 

“I-I’m not sure if- fuck! If that was supposed to make me jealous or aroused", Levi growled out.

 

Eren only hummed in reply, the vibrations causing Levi to dig his fingers into the brunet's scalp. He was about to tell Eren that he was close but all that left his lips was a gasp as the younger scraped his teeth along Levi’s cock as he went up before sinking back down and that was all the black haired man needed to come down Eren’s throat.

 

Eren knew the older had been close to cumming so he wasn't surprised when he felt Levi shudder as his mouth was filled with ribbons of warm cum. He happily swallowed everything the man had to give before getting off the other’s cock.

 

Levi’s hands had loosened their hold on Eren’s hair after his orgasm so they slipped down to the mattress when the young man moved. He was panting as he came down from his high, his eyes on the obvious bulge in Eren’s underwear.

 

“Get your ass over here. I’ll let you fuck my throat", Levi said after awhile.

 

“Eh?” Eren blinked in surprise. “You don't have to do that-!”

 

“I want to return the favour so get over here", Levi said as he propped himself up slightly. He rolled his eyes at the unsure expression on the boy's face. The difference between this Eren and the one from just a minute ago was night and day. Did this brat get high off of testosterone or something?

 

When the brunet was taking too long, Levi grabbed his wrist and pulled him closer.

 

“If you don't want to, that’s fine", he said as he cupped Eren’s face.

 

“It's not that. Of course, I want to. But...are  _ you _ sure it's okay?”, Eren asked hesitantly.

 

Levi let out a sigh before pulling the brunet forward to kiss him. He pushed his tongue against those soft, chapped lips and played with Eren’s tongue for a while once he got access before pulling away.

 

“Fuck my throat until I can't fucking speak because I sure as hell am planning to fuck you tonight until you're not walking properly for days”, Levi promised, his voice low and seductive.

 

That seemed to get Eren going. He nodded, his pupils dilating as lust filled his eyes.

 

Pleased, Levi helped Eren to take off his underwear before urging the young man to straddle his chest as he slid down onto the pillows.

 

The brunet complied without hesitation this time as he placed his legs on either side of Levi, his hard cock poking at the older’s mouth. Levi opened his mouth without a second thought, taking the length in.

 

Eren was still hesitant to just push inside Levi’s mouth and fuck his throat as the other had suggested so Levi took the lead. He grabbed onto those tanned hips and pushed them forward so he could get the whole member inside his mouth.

 

Eren let out a gasp as he was put off balance and grabbed onto the bed’s headboard as his cock was pushed deep inside that hot, wet cavern. He was scared that he had hurt Levi as the older pushed his hips back before pulling them forward again and before Eren realized he was fucking the older’s throat on his own.

 

He moaned as his cock kept hitting the back of Levi’s throat, the man’s tongue sliding on the underside and teeth scraping the sensitive skin every once in a while. He grabbed onto Levi’s hair, gaining an approving hum from the older that spurred him on as he hastened his pace.

 

It didn't take long for him to scream out as he pushed as deep as he could into Levi's mouth and came down his throat. The feeling of the older swallowing around him squeezed all of his cum out of him before he carefully pulled out of that hot mouth, panting heavily and his limbs shaking. His cheeks burned a bright red when Levi licked at the corner of his lips.

 

“And the blushing virgin is back", Levi said teasingly as he sat up properly.

 

“I am  _ not _ a virgin!”, Eren insisted. Levi could see that but he couldn't help but tease the younger.

 

“Sure”, he said in a disbelieving voice with a smirk, causing Eren to scoff. He leaned forward to press a quick kiss against the brunet's lips which seemed to placate the other enough.

 

Levi then glanced down at himself, the bed and Eren. They would need to take a shower but at least the bedsheets didn't get dirty because he really didn't have the energy to change them. He would probably do that in the evening when Eren was away on the Halloween party so they could have sex on clean sheets. But that was kind of counterproductive because they would only get dirty again probably. He would have to think about this later.

 

“Let's go take a shower”, Levi said as he stood up, frowning slightly at the feeling of drying saliva on his dick.

 

“Can we take a bath instead?”, Eren asked hopefully as he stood up after Levi.

 

Levi only needed to think about it for a moment before nodding and he was rewarded with a bright smile as the brunet walked up to him and leaned down to kiss him.

 

“I will fill the tub so you get us a change of clothes, okay?”, Levi said.

 

Eren nodded and turned so he could walk to the wardrobe but stopped in his tracks when he felt a light smack on his butt.

 

“Leviiiii", he whined with a pout as he glared at the man half-heartedly.

 

“You don't like it?”, Levi asked.

 

“It's not that I don't like it but I feel like  _ you _ like doing it a bit too much", Eren mumbled before a mischievous smirk rose onto his lips. “Also I don't think I’ve done anything to deserve a spanking.”

 

“Your kinks are starting to show", Levi teased.

 

“Well, I’m still keeping my kinks in the bedroom so you can't complain", Eren teased back with a wink before walking to the wardrobe.

 

Levi let out an amused chuckle as he walked into the bathroom. He plugged the bathtub and started to fill it with warm water. He looked over his small collection of bath soaps. He decided that they could indulge themselves in a bubble bath.

 

Eren came in after a while with their change of clothes and set them on the bathroom counter. His eyes brightened as he saw the bubbles forming in the bathtub as it was being filled.

 

“Thought you would like it", Levi answered the silent question.

 

Eren smiled happily as he went up to the black haired man and pecked him on the cheek.

 

“I love you", he said with a goofy grin that made him look so much younger.

 

Levi rolled his eyes playfully. “So bubbles are enough to make you love me? I need to be careful so you won't get snatched by someone with a bubble wand", he teased.

 

Eren huffed. “Then maybe you should get me a bubble wand”, he joked.

 

“Maybe", Levi hummed as he turned off the water when the tub was filled. He slipped into the warm, bubbly water before looking at Eren expectantly. “Come here, Eren.”

 

“But how?”, the brunet asked as he stepped closer to the bathtub.

 

“Back-to-chest. I’m not risking you kicking me in the dick if you start playing around”, Levi said. “Now get in here, you big baby.”

 

“Yes,  _ daddy _ ", Eren answered teasingly as he carefully slipped into the water.

 

“Eren, what did I say about keeping your kinks in the  _ bedroom _ ?”, Levi groaned as he let his head fall back onto the edge of the tub when Eren sat down in front of him.

 

“That's your fault. You called me a baby”, Eren said, leaning forward as he hugged his knees. He was afraid he would squash the short man if he leaned back.

 

“If it bothers you, I will stop", Levi said before clicking his tongue as he wrapped his arms around Eren's torso and pulled him closer. “You can lean back. You're not going to crush me.”

 

Eren obeyed without complaint as he relaxed against the older man, happy with the intimacy.

 

“It doesn't bother me. I’ve been called worse things”, Eren said with a shrug as he played with the foam.

 

Levi hummed noncommittally before his head snapped up and brows furrowed. “Wait, who has called you and what?”

 

“Hm? Oh…” Eren only belatedly realized that he had let that slip. He scratched at the back of his neck a bit awkwardly. “Everyone has some bad relationships”, he explained and was going to leave it at that before a thought occurred to him. “But I haven't been hit or anything! Some people just get a bit... _ wordy _ while doing...you know?”

 

His past relationships weren't really a thing he wanted to discuss with the older man. Especially the bad stuff.

 

“What have they called you?”, Levi asked as he placed his head on the brunet's shoulder and tightened his hold on him.

 

“Can we  _ not _ talk about this?”, Eren requested with a hint of pleading in his voice.

 

“I don't want to bring up bad memories for you but I  _ need _ to know. I might get a bit ‘wordy' during sex too so I want to make sure I don't accidentally call you something that makes you uncomfortable”, Levi explained. “I wouldn't call you a whore or a slut under any circumstances but what else?”

 

“W-well, the basic stuff, you know?”, Eren started hesitantly. “Bitch, cunt, cocksucker, faggot, twink, skank, cum dump, good-for-nothing, piece of shit-”

 

“Okay, shh", Levi shushed gently as the brunet started to tremble. “That's enough, Eren. I’m sorry. I shouldn't have asked.”

 

Eren let out a short, humourless laugh that got choked up by a sob. “Well, now you know”, he said, his breath hitching.

 

“I do and I can confidently say that I would _ never  _ call you, or anyone for that matter, anything like that”, Levi assured as he embraced the brunet from behind, pressing a kiss to the side of his head.

 

Eren took a shaky breath and let out one last sniffle before relaxing back against the black haired man.

 

They were quiet for a moment, just their breathing and the rippling water making sounds. Eren was studying the bubbles and foam when Levi spoke up.

 

“Is kitten fine?”

 

Eren’s brows furrowed in confusion as he turned so he could look at the other.

 

“You're getting a cat?”, he asked.

 

“No", Levi denied with a huff. “Are you fine with me calling you kitten or something like that?”

 

“You want to call me a kitten?”

 

“I might. Who knows?”, Levi answered with a shrug. “That's the reason why I asked what you don't want to be called. Some people might find pet names like that derogatory so I wanted to make sure.”

 

Eren hummed in understanding before thinking about it.

 

“I have no problem with it. It's sweet and cute”, he said.

 

“That's good then", Levi acknowledged. He slid his hands down Eren’s sides under the water to place them on his hips but paused as the brunet yelped and tried to squirm away from the touch.

 

“Levi, that tickles!”, Eren complained.

 

Levi hummed as a mischievous smirk rose onto his lips. “Does it now?”, he asked as he ran his fingers on Eren’s sides.

 

The brunet was giggling and squirming around as Levi continued to tickle him, water and foam splashing around and over the sides of the tub. However, neither of them cared as Eren was too busy trying to escape Levi’s hands and the other was too caught up listening to Eren’s giggles.

 

“S-s-stop- Le-Levi! N-no”, Eren said through laughter.

 

Levi decided to have mercy on the younger man and finally stopped his tickling, settling his hands on Eren’s hips like he had originally planned.

 

Eren was panting and was about to wipe tears from his eyes with his hand but remembered that it was covered in soapy bubbles.

 

“Haah...I hate you, Levi”, Eren said even as he settled back against the older man’s chest.

 

Levi chuckled as he pressed his lips on Eren’s cheek in somewhat of an apology. Eren turned his head to the side and kissed Levi on the lips briefly. The angle was awkward so Eren shifted to he could turn around completely in Levi’s lap, straddling the other’s thighs.

 

Now in a better position he pressed their lips together properly, Levi humming approvingly into the kiss.

 

Meanwhile, Eren’s hands were on a mission. He was running his fingers up and down Levi's sides but the older wasn't reacting to any of it. He pulled away with a frown that only deepened as he saw the smirk on Levi's lips.

 

“I’m not all that ticklish”, Levi said smugly before pressing their lips back together to wipe that frown off of that cute face.

 

Eren sighed in defeat as he returned the kiss, lips and tongues moving against each other. He ran his hands in the shaved part of Levi’s hair, loving the feeling of the short, soft hairs against his skin, before running his fingers lower to the nape of the older’s neck and he was surprised when Levi suddenly flinched. At first, he thought Levi had a cut or something on there but as he ran his fingers on the smooth skin with featherlight touches, Levi pulled away from the kiss with a frown as he grabbed Eren’s hands.

 

“Oh…” A smirk rose onto the brunet's lips as realisation dawned on him. “Not all that ticklish, huh?”, he teased with a knowing look.

 

“Oh, shut up", Levi said with a glare.

 

“Is that why you have the undercut? Because your nape is ticklish?”, Eren asked, his tone more curious than teasing.

 

Levi groaned as he leaned his head back against the edge of the bathtub and closed his eyes.

 

“Mostly, yes", Levi answered before he peeked at Eren. “You don't like it?”

 

“No, I love it", Eren confessed. “I was just curious.” A mischievous smirk crept up to his face. “But you better be careful. I now know your weakness.”

 

Levi rolled his eyes before briefly running his fingers up and down Eren sides, making the brunet gasp.

 

“And I know yours so we're even", Levi noted with a smirk of his own. “But let's just wash up. The water’s getting cold.”

 

“Sure", Eren huffed with a pout. He would get his revenge.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! Comments and kudos are always appreciated!


	23. Halloween And Drunk Texts

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, everyone! I'm here with a new chapter! I'm posting this chapter now already because I might not update this (or any of my fics) next week since I have been a bit tired lately and want a small break but we'll see. Maybe I will update? Who knows.
> 
> Anyway enjoy~

“I really shouldn't drink anymore", Eren said. He was currently at the Halloween party with his friends and they were sitting on the floor in a circle, drinking and playing holdem.

 

“But we have just started! Who are you and what did you do to Eren?”, Connie joked.

 

“Exactly! Mikasa isn’t even here babysitting you and you're _ declining a drink! _ ”, Reiner said as he slapped the brunet on the back.

 

“Oh, shut up!”, Eren yelled as he pushed the big blond away from him. “I just promised someone not to get drunk!”

 

“Oh? ‘Someone'? Not Mikasa?”, Connie teased.

 

“Is it that ‘predator' that Mikasa was complaining about?”, Sasha said as she munched on some candy.

 

“He’s not a predator!”, Eren yelled before sighing. “And Mikasa told you!?”

 

“She was complaining about it a while ago in our girls-only group chat", Sasha explained.

 

“Wait! So Eren has a boyfriend?”, Jean asked.

 

“And apparently he’s some old fart", Annie mumble as she sipped on her beer.

 

“He is not! Mikasa is exaggerating it!”, Eren said but it was like no one heard him.

 

“So you’re dating some grandpa? Jeez, Eren, I knew you were desperate but I didn't think you would stoop  _ so low _ ", Jean taunted.

 

“Oh fuck you, horseface!”, the brunet yelled as he stood up to go punch Jean in the face but Reiner pushed him back down.

 

“Hey, hey, just calm down and have a drink", Reiner said as he handed Eren a bottle of beer.

 

The brunet huffed as he took the bottle and opened it with the bottle opener before throwing the bottle cap at the horse-faced man.

 

“Hey!”, Jean yelled as he threw the cap back.

 

“Let’s just resume our game, okay?”, Marco said, trying to calm the two hot heads before they started a fist fight.

 

Eren frowned as he drank the alcohol, quickly emptying the bottle. As their card game resumed, in his frustration that one bottle of beer soon turned to two and followed by a shot of vodka...or maybe a few. Did he drink straight from a bottle of Jägermeister at one point? He couldn't tell anymore.

 

“Hah! Eren lost!”, Jean laughed as they finished their card game.

 

Eren was trying to look at the cards on the ground to see if the horseface was lying but his head was spinning too much to focus on them. He just shrugged as he staggered up.

 

“Gif me th’ fuckin’ theng thenh", Eren slurred out.

 

“Damn, you're drunk!”, Connie laughed as he took out his phone to record this.

 

“And this is the guy who didn't want to get drunk", Annie said, rolling her eyes.

 

Jean stood up and walked to the side of the room where a white plastic bag was leaning on the wall. He stumbled a little, the alcohol getting to him, as he handed it to Eren.

 

“Hav’ fun", Jean said before sitting back down onto the floor.

 

Eren did his best to glare at Jean and flipped him off before staggering to the bathroom, almost falling down a few times.

 

“Do you need help?”, Bertholdt asked as he hurried next to Eren, standing by in case the brunet fell.

 

“Am fain!”, Eren assured as he got into the bathroom, closing the door behind him but not locking it. Once in, he placed the bag on the counter before rummaging through it. There were two Halloween costumes. One was a sexy firefighter costume while the other was a sexy fallen angel.

 

It was a tradition of theirs to start their Halloween party with drinks and poker. The loser would then wear the “costume of shame", as they called it, as a punishment for the rest of the time.

 

Eren had been too angry at Jean that he hadn't noticed how much he drank and ended up fucking his game up, hence why he ended up here with the costumes.

 

“Which costum’ do I weer?”, he called out as he looked at the two. There were always two costumes in different sizes because there was a big difference between someone as big as Reiner and someone smaller like Annie and he couldn't for the love of god get his damn vision to focus on the sizes.

 

_ “The black one!” _ , Connie called out.

 

Eren took the fallen angel costume out before throwing the bag onto the floor as he spread out the costume. He took off his clothes and threw them on the floor also before starting to put the costume on, falling onto his butt once as he was putting on the black thigh-high socks.

 

_ “Eren, are you okay?”,  _ Marco asked from the other side of the door.

 

“Yea, ‘m ok", Eren answered as he finished putting on the costume, adjusting the black wings a little, before exiting the bathroom.

 

There were immediately mocking wolf-whistling and catcalling as he walked out and sat back down onto the floor. He grabbed one of the beer bottles in the middle of their circle and uncapped it but it was taken away by bertholdt before he could take a sip.

 

“Maybe you shouldn't drink anymore, Eren", the black haired man said as he gave the bottle to Reiner who took it happily.

 

Eren frowned as his drink was taken away but didn't reach for another. Instead, he slid closer to Sasha to snatch some candy from the bowl on her lap.

 

The brunette woman let out a gasp as she noticed that Eren had taken some of the sweets and tried to get them back. Jean and Connie took that chance to also steal some candy while Sasha was distracted but she must have sensed that her beloved candies were being threatened and was now battling Connie for a chocolate bar.

 

It was only an hour into their party and there was a fight brewing but at least Eren got a handful of sweets, plenty of alcohol in his system and something to giggle at.

 

* * *

 

Levi was just finished with cleaning their bedroom when his phone buzzed. He took off his gloves and looked around him at the pristine room, nodding to himself, before he looked down at his phone.

 

There was a text from Eren.

 

Levi frowned as he saw the time. 19.37. It had only been around an hour and a half since the brunet had left. Did something happen?

 

He unlocked his phone and opened the message, his frown deepening.

 

_ “Levu i lovw uou ao mych!!!” _

 

Eren was definitely drunk.

 

_ “Your texts are even worse than usual. How fucking drunk are you?” _ , he replied.

 

It took around five minutes for Eren to answer.

 

_ “In nor drink! o difnt habr thay muxh!!# tjwy eomt ket ne deibk anmor#” _

 

Levi sighed as he read the text. Or at least tried to read it. He wasn't really sure what the brat was saying anymore.

 

_ “Where are you? I’m coming to get you",  _ Levi sent as he put away the cleaning supplies. He sighed once more at the thought that they couldn't have sex today either even though he had taken the time to clean and prepare everything.

 

_ “St keans joyde itd pm ehalmersteet donewhetw I dobt teallu renebner” _

 

Great. Why did he send Eren a message? Of course he wouldn't be able to tell what the hell the brunet wrote. So he pressed the call button. It rang for a while before the call was denied. He guessed the other must have accidentally pressed the wrong button so he rang again. This time it was answered.

 

_ “Leviiiii!” _ , Eren exclaimed, giggling afterwards. Jeez, this boy was drunk.

 

“Where are you?”, Levi asked. He could hear other people and music in the background.

 

_ “‘Am at horsefays’ house",  _ Eren slurred out.

 

_ “Who’r you callin’ a horseface!”, _ Levi could hear someone shouting in the background.

 

“Where is his house?”, he asked.

 

_ “Uhh...it’s...umm...here!”,  _ Eren exclaimed before giggling and there was a soft thump and a soft ‘ow’ so Levi assumed the brunet fell to the ground.

 

“Can you get someone a little less drunk on the phone, please?”

 

_ “‘M not drunk! Jus’ a bit tipsy",  _ Eren claimed.

 

“Eren, dear, please, get someone else on the phone", Levi almost pleaded. He felt uneasy that his boyfriend was completely out of it in a place with people that Levi didn't know. He trusted that Eren knew how to pick his friends but when alcohol was involved you never knew what could happen.

 

_ “‘Kay", _ Eren consented and Levi could  _ hear _ the pout in his voice.  _ “Marcoooo, canh you talk wit’ Levi?” _

 

_ “Who?” _ , an unknown male voice said in the background. At least he sounded sober.

 

_ “Mah boyfrien’!” _ , Eren said cheerfully and it made Levi’s heart skip a little. He wasn't used to hearing Eren call him his boyfriend but it made him happy to know that the brunet wasn't ashamed of their relationship. Although, Eren was so drunk he probably wouldn't be ashamed of anything right now…

 

_ “Hello?” _ , the unknown man greeted unsurely.

 

“Can you tell me where you are so I can get Eren?”, Levi asked, not bothering with small talk or pleasantries.

 

_ “You're his boyfriend?” _ , the man asked and he could hear Eren shouting ‘yes’ in the background.

 

“Yes, I am", Levi answered.

 

_ “Hmm...but I’m not sure if I trust you. Eren’s really drunk right now and I don't want anyone to take advantage of him” _ , the man said. Okay, so Eren had at least one good, trustworthy friend. That was good but he still wanted Eren back home.

 

“I understand that but I would  _ never _ take advantage of someone drunk, especially not Eren", Levi assured and he hoped his tone was enough to convince the other.

 

The unknown man hummed in thought.

 

_ “I could take Eren home though. I know where he lives.” _

 

“He’s currently living with me", Levi informed.

 

There was a moment of silence before the man seemed to ask Eren whether or not that's true. Of course, Eren said ‘yes'.

 

_ “I will text the address to you from Eren’s phone, okay?” _ the man said.

 

“Good.”

 

With that the call was ended. It didn't take long for him to get a message from Eren’s number with the address of the place.

 

It was a little ways off and Eren was drunk so he decided to take his car. He very rarely used it since he lived so close to his workplace but it was convenient to have at times like these. Though, he hoped this wouldn't become a frequent thing.

 

As he pulled up on the side of the road in front of the house, he could see two people outside. One of them was jumping in the snow with barely any warm clothes and Levi recognized that one as Eren. The other guy was seemingly trying to get the brunet to put on his jacket.

 

Levi sighed as he exited his car and started to walk towards them.

 

“Eren, please, at least put on your jacket. You will catch a cold", Marco pleaded as he chased after the drunk brunet in the snow.

 

“Don't worry, Marco. Idiots can’t catch colds”, Annie said as she stood on the porch with a cigarette.

 

“You jus’ call meh an  _ idiot!? _ ”, Eren shouted and was about to march to the blonde before he heard Levi.

 

“Eren", the older man called out and the brunet immediately spun around and almost fell face first into the snow.

 

“Levi!”, Eren exclaimed as he stumbled across the front yard to his boyfriend, slumping against the short man once he had his arms wrapped around him.

 

Levi looked at Eren’s outfit with confusion. He was sure Eren wasn't wearing _ this _ when he left...

 

“You're Levi?”

 

The question made the short man looked up from Eren to a freckled man in front of him.

 

“Yes", he answered and it was then that he noticed Eren had fallen asleep leaning over him. Damn, he was going to scold Eren’s ears off tomorrow. It was a Sunday evening and the boy was drunk as hell. Maybe Eren would learn from his inevitable hangover tomorrow not to drink so much.

 

“I’m Marco. I talked to you on the phone", Marco said, offering his hand for a shake.

 

“Thank you for taking care of Eren", Levi said as he accepted the handshake. “We’ll be leaving then.”

 

“Maybe we should just take him home instead", the blonde woman said as she approached them. “I don't feel comfortable with letting some unknown man take Eren home, especially if it’s someone so much older than him.”

 

“I understand your concern and appreciate it but I was sure Eren confirmed that I am his _boyfriend_ and he _lives_ _with me_ ”, Levi said.

 

“He did but we know Eren and his history of dating assholes", the woman said, Marco giving a nod in silent agreement.

 

“Lev’s not liek that", Eren slurred out, barely awake. “Is perfec’ an’ I’m cold so lez go.”

 

“I really don't want him to catch a cold so we need to leave now", Levi said as he picked up the drowsy brunet. “I know it isn't much but I sincerely promise that I won't take advantage of him.”

 

The woman was looking at him with narrowed eyes but didn't say anything. Marco, on the other hand, took a step closer.

 

“I will trust you for now but I’m calling Eren first thing in the morning and if he doesn't answer or I find out you did something to him, I’m calling the police”, Marco warned. The man looked kind and gentle but seemed to have a sharper edge to him also.

 

“I will try to make sure he doesn't throw up on his phone or something", Levi said.

 

That seemed to put the two of them at somewhat ease. Marco then showed the bag and jacket he was carrying.

 

“These are Eren’s", he said.

 

“Can you put them in the backseat? My hands are a bit full”, Levi said before turning around to walk to his car.

 

Marco helped him open the passenger seat door before placing the bag and jacket in the back. Once Eren was settled in the car, Levi shut the door and turned to thank Marco.

 

“Just remember if you do anything to Eren-"

 

“I promise, I won't take advantage of him in his current state”, Levi said, cutting the blonde woman’s warning off. He then turned away and circled to the driver's side but paused once he opened the door. “Besides, I want Eren to be able remember it when I fuck him into the mattress", he couldn’t help but add with a smirk before he got inside the car.

 

Marco and Annie were left standing there as Levi drove away, Marco blushing while Annie was stunned to silence. Yes, they were definitely calling Eren first thing in the morning and probably Mikasa also...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As a side note: if you didn't understand Eren's text messages, that's fine because they were meant to be like that.
> 
> Thank you for reading! Comments and kudos are always appreciated!


	24. Drunk And Horny

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, everyone! I'm back with a new chapter! Sorry this one is a bit short... I probably should've included this in the last chapter instead of making it its own chapter but oh well ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯ If I have time I might update again this week to make up for it but I can't promise anything so for now, enjoy~

Levi was in quite a predicament right now. He had managed to get the drunk, drowsy brat inside his apartment with relative ease but once there, the brunet became a problem; a  _ horny _ problem.

 

“Levi, you promis’d!”, Eren whined. He sounded a just bit more sober than earlier but that didn't help much right now with the brunet clinging to him, rubbing himself against Levi in that sexy costume.

 

“I’m not fucking you while you're drunk out of your mind", Levi said firmly. “And I even warned you not to drink too much.”

 

“But, Levi, I wan’ you sou badly", Eren whispered into his ear before biting at his earlobe.

 

Levi felt a shiver go through him straight to his cock but he forced himself not to focus on it. He led them to the kitchen and pried Eren off him, leaving him leaning on the counter as he got a glass of water for the brunet.

 

Once he had filled the glass, he turned back to look at Eren and nearly dropped the glass of water.

 

Eren was bent over on the counter, his upper thighs and butt peeking beneath the short, black ruffle skirt and...fuck, the costume came with black panties. Eren looked so damn sexy and delectable right then and there that Levi had a hard time resisting the temptation.

 

“Levi, please", Eren pleaded as one of his black-gloved hands reached beneath the skirt to fondle his member. He shuddered, the black wings trembling on his back at the movement, and let out a moan as his half-hard cock finally got some much needed friction.

 

Levi shook his head to distract his thoughts as he approached Eren but it was difficult to ignore the slowly forming erection that was restrained in his jeans.

 

He set the glass on the counter next to the horny brunet. “Eren, drink some water and then let's go to bed- to  _ sleep _ . You-  _ we _ have work tomorrow”, he said as he pushed the glass closer, keeping his eyes strictly on the slightly crooked, black halo over Eren’s head.

 

“I don’ want the woter. I want _ you _ ”, Eren said as he grabbed hold of Levi’s wrist with his free hand and led it to the front of the panties, pressing the palm of Levi’s hand against his leaking erection.

 

Levi could feel a wet spot on the silky underwear and couldn't help the groan that escaped him.

 

Eren leaned into his ear once again when it seemed like he wasn't getting what he wanted.

 

“I fell for you, Levi, so take responsibility”, he whispered seductively.

 

Levi wanted to roll his eyes at the pun but couldn't deny how turned on he got from not only the words but the tone of Eren’s voice as well. He was surprised how the brunet got that out without the alcohol slurring his words. He almost sounded sober but the short man wasn’t fooled.

 

Eren started rubbing his erection against Levi’s palm, his skin sliding easily against the smooth fabric of the panties. If the brunet got like  _ this _ while drunk, Levi wondered if he should ever again let Eren drink without his surveillance.

 

Deciding that he needed to help Eren let out some steam before he could get the brunet to drink the water and go to bed, he grabbed ahold of Eren’s cock through the thin fabric, the young man moaning loudly. He ran his hand from the base to the top before hooking a finger in the waistband of the panties and pulling them down to reveal Eren’s erection, precum leaking from the tip.

 

“Mmhmm...Levi...Hn-", Eren moaned out as the black haired man started to pump his cock.

 

He was only getting Eren off so they could go to sleep, Levi told himself. He wasn't taking advantage of Eren. But, fuck, his own arousal was starting to hurt with no relief being given to his own erection, the tight jeans pressing uncomfortably against it.

 

It took a while for Eren to cum in his intoxicated state, spurting his semen mostly on the black skirt, some dripping onto the ground. The brunet then deflated against the black, marble counter, panting heavily in the afterglow of his drunken orgasm.

 

Levi pulled his hand away from Eren’s softening length and went to wash the cum off his skin before coming back to clean the rest of the mess, starting with Eren. He wiped the skirt clean enough that the cum would no longer drip onto the ground before wiping the floor and Eren’s cock with a wet rag, pulling the panties up to cover the length afterwards.

 

Eren mumbled something incoherent sleepily as he slowly slid down to the floor, the last of his strength drained.

 

“Come on, Eren. Drink the water and we can go to bed", Levi said as he offered the glass to Eren’s lips, not trusting the brunet to hold it.

 

Eren complied sluggishly as he opened his mouth to drink some of the water. He groaned after a few swallows to indicate he had drank enough.

 

Levi went to pour out the rest of the water to the sink before he returned to Eren. He carefully picked up the young man, doubting that he could get him to walk to the bedroom.

 

“Mmm...Levi", Eren hummed as he burrowed his face into the short man’s chest as he was carried to the bedroom and set down on the edge of the bed. He was about to fall back against the fresh sheets before Levi stopped him, placing a hand on his back to keep him sitting.

 

“Let's get this dirty dress off at least before you fall asleep”, Levi said as he slipped the wings off, unzipped the zipper on the side of the dress and began to tug the costume off.

 

Once the dirty garment was off, Levi snatched the halo off also before deciding to let the brunet to just slide under the covers and go to sleep. He was too tired to even try to change the brunet’s panties for proper underwear so he let them be, along with the thigh high socks. Eren could use tomorrow morning’s embarrassment as a reminder not to drink himself stupid again.

 

Levi nodded to himself once the dress was in the dirty laundry basket and Eren fast asleep on the bed before he went to take a shower to take care of his still very visible ‘unfinished business’.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading~ Comments and kudos are greatly appreciated! ^w^


	25. Hangover And Age Gap

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, everyone! I managed to get this out this week! Wohoo! So enjoy~

Eren woke up the next morning with a giant headache and a sick feeling in his stomach. He couldn't remember much of last night, most of it just a hazy blur. He could remember saying bye to Levi before walking to Jean’s house and-

 

 _Fuck._ He got wasted, didn't he? Levi was surely mad…

 

Speaking of whom, the older man wasn't in the bed with him and he could faintly hear noise from the kitchen.

 

He reached onto his nightstand, trying to get hold of his phone to look at the time. He groaned as the light burned at his eyes before putting the device back.

 

There was still almost an hour until Levi left for work so, with some difficulty, he managed to sit up, shivering as the blanket slid down.

 

He had to sit there for a while as he was overcome with dizziness. Once it passed, he stretched his arms above his head with a yawn before staggering up and towards the kitchen, rubbing his eyes and temples.

 

Levi was pouring water in the coffeemaker as he approached, wrapping his arms around Levi and leaning his forehead on the other’s shoulder.

 

Levi flinched slightly as he felt arms suddenly around his middle, not having heard the soft footsteps.

 

“Good morning, Eren”, Levi greeted. He was trying to hold in his amusement as he noticed how there was a lack of the usual long sleeves on Eren’s arms. The young man hasn’t notice his unusual getup yet, huh?

 

“Morning", Eren mumbled, his voice muffled by Levi's shoulder.

 

“Seems like someone had a rough night”, the black haired man said as he put the coffee maker on before turning around in Eren’s arms. He looked down at the brunet’s body with a hum. “I like it more now that you're not drunk.”

 

Eren was confused, his brows furrowed, before he looked down at his body and gasped.

 

“Why am I- Oh, fuck, I lost the game, didn't I..."

 

“I’m surprised that you didn't notice what you had on when you woke up", Levi chuckled.

 

Eren’s face was crimson all the way up to his ears as he shrunk back self-consciously.

 

“I feel bad and I have a terrible headache”, Eren mumbled as an excuse.

 

Levi rolled his eyes before pulling away from the brunet to get him some medicine and water.

 

“You should learn from this not to drink so much", he said as he handed Eren a pill and a glass of water. “Take this.”

 

Eren sulked as he accepted the medicine, downing it with the water. He looked down at the glass for a while, his expression turning guilty. “Sorry.”

 

Levi raised a brow. “For?”

 

“For ruining everything”, Eren said with a shrug as he refused to look at the older man, instead, staring at the bottom of the glass like it was the most interesting thing in the world.

 

Levi sighed. “You broke your promise not to get drunk, which I am slightly upset about, but you didn't ruin anything", he assured as he took a step closer and placed a hand under Eren’s chin to lift his gaze. “We have time. I’m not in a hurry to have sex.” Eren was opening his mouth and Levi knew that worried expression, so he added: “And before you say anything; no, I’m not tired of you. I’m in my thirties. I don't have the sex drive of a horny brat.”

 

Eren blinked his wide eyes before a small smile rose onto his lips and he leaned forward to kiss the older man on the lips.

 

“You're too good for me", he said with a bright smile.

 

Levi hummed. “I think the feeling is mutual.”

 

“Well, I do have the amazing sex drive of a horny brat after all", Eren said, mirth dancing in his ocean green eyes.

 

Levi rolled his eyes before walking past Eren to get their breakfast ready, giving the brunet's butt a soft smack as he passed. “Go get changed, you cocky brat.”

 

Eren huffed but the smile remained on his lips as he turned to walk back into the bedroom to change into something more appropriate.

 

“You just can't handle this sexy piece of ass in sexy clothes”, Eren called out teasingly before he disappeared into the bedroom.

 

Levi could only shake his head as he finished making their breakfast.

 

* * *

 

Eren got a call from Marco after Levi left for work. He was asking worriedly whether or not his boyfriend had taken advantage of him last night. Eren was irritated by the fact that his friend could even think that Levi would do something like that but he supposed if he saw Marco or any of his friends going home drunk with someone he didn't know, he would get suspicious and protective too. Although, the comment that Marco made about their age difference was unnecessary.

 

It was two hours afterwards when he was at work that Mikasa called. He knew it couldn't be anything good.

 

“Hello?”

 

 _“Eren, are you okay? Annie sent me a text this morning saying that you went home drunk with that old fart!”_ , Mikasa said frantically.

 

“Can't you just start with a normal ‘hello, how are you?’ instead of an interrogation?”, Eren sighed. Why did everyone have to bother him when he was still hungover?

 

_“Eren, I’m being serious here!”_

 

“So am I", Eren said. “He didn't do anything to me.”

 

 _“Are you sure? Annie said you were drunk out of your mind. I doubt you even remember anything from last night!”_ , Mikasa said.

 

“Well, I don't really but I-”

 

 _“Then you can't know!”_ , she insisted. _“And this is the second time this has happened with the same guy!”_

 

Eren was confused for a while before he remembered his lie from a few weeks back.

 

“I can assure you that he didn't-”

 

 _“Can you? I doubt it unless you have video footage of the whole night",_ Mikasa interrupted. _“You're not rich so he must be after your body. Why else would such old fart be hitting on such a young man?”_

 

“Mikasa-"

 

_“Annie also told me that you're now living with him? Are you out of your mind!?”_

 

“Mikasa-!”

 

_“That's so dangerous. If you're sexually frustrated or need money, I can try to help! I know a few very nice, single gay guys from my class. I can ask if any of them are interested. At least, they're around the same age-"_

 

Eren hung up the call and powered off his phone. He couldn't listen to Mikasa anymore. He knew she was just worried and trying to look out for him but the way she did it was too extreme.

 

“I need a smoke", Eren muttered as he went to flip the sign on the door that said ‘closed’ before going to the backroom and grabbing his pack of cigarettes and a lighter. He went out from the backdoor and lit one of the cigarettes.

 

He started to feel a bit better as he inhaled the smoke but that only lasted for a moment as his anger turned into self-hatred.

 

Why did something always go wrong right as he thought that his life was back on track? Why was _he_ always _so wrong_? If he had been born even just a few years earlier, maybe people wouldn't judge him so much for dating Levi. He could change his appearance to look more mature but that wouldn't solve it. His friends knew his age and that was something he couldn't change.

 

Was Levi also bothered by the age gap? He must be. He must think that Eren is immature and childish. Now that he thought about it, it seemed obvious that Levi thought of him as a child. The bubble bath, for example. Levi knew Eren would play with the foam. He knew Eren was childish like that.

 

Maybe that's why Levi isn't bothered by the lack of sex. Maybe he doesn't want to have sex with a brat. That seemed reasonable-

 

“Fuck!”, Eren cursed as he burned his hand on the cigarette, too occupied by his thoughts that he didn't notice how short it had gotten. He looked his hand over before sighing and stepping on the butt of the cigarette. He was about to reach into his pocket for another one when a familiar voice called out to him suddenly, making him flinch as he spun around on his heels to look at the approaching man.

 

“Levi? Why are you-"

 

“What the fuck are you doing, Eren!?”, Levi yelled, obviously mad, as he grabbed tightly onto Eren’s shoulders, causing him to wince as the fingers dug into his skin.

 

“I-I was just taking a smoke", Eren explained. “Why are you here? It’s not lunch yet, is it?”

 

“It's not but I had a small pause in work so I tried to call you”, Levi explained giving Eren a pointed look. “So care to explain why your phone is turned off if you're just taking a smoke?”

 

“I just...I-I...I…”

 

Levi sighed. Eren looked like he was about to cry. That wasn't what he wanted. Fuck.

 

“Hey, I’m sorry for yelling and coming on too aggressively”, he said as he cupped Eren’s face. He looked into Eren’s eyes with an apologetic gaze. “I just got so worried that something bad had happened and when I come to take a look, the shop is closed.”

 

“How did you know I was here?”, Eren asked softly.

 

“I heard you curse and thank god for that. If you hadn't, I would've gone to the bridge and after that to the apartment and then called the police if I didn't find you”, Levi explained as he rubbed his thumbs on the cold skin of Eren’s cheeks. A frown crept onto his face. “We better go inside. You're not dressed for the weather _once again_ , unsurprisingly.”

 

Eren let out a small smile at that comment as he was led back inside. Levi gestured for him to sit down on the first chair he found in the backroom before grabbing Eren’s jacket off the coat rack and draping it over Eren’s shoulders.

 

“Levi, I’m-"

 

“I’m not taking any risks. Especially since I don't know how long you were out there", Levi insisted as he leaned against the wall and crossed his arms. “And yesterday you were jumping in the snow, drunk and barely dressed. I’m surprised you haven’t gotten sick yet.”

 

A light blush rose onto Eren’s cheeks. He didn’t remember that happening. Even so he nodded softly as he directed his gaze to the floor.

 

“Will you tell me what made you upset?”, Levi asked gently. “And, please, don't lie and say that you were only taking a smoke.”

 

“Sorry", the brunet mumbled.

 

Levi sighed quietly. “I know it's hard to say some things but we're in a relationship. I want to know what has made my boyfriend upset.”

 

Eren smiled briefly at that but didn't raise his eyes.

 

“Two of my friends called today and we talked about...things", he explained vaguely. “It just...made me think.”

 

“Think of what?”, Levi asked.

 

“Us", Eren answered before a sad smile crossed his face. “You know how they say that you lose 10-15 minutes of your life by smoking a cigarette?”

 

“Yes, I have heard something like that”, Levi said, his brow furrowed in confusion. “What does this have to do with _us_?”

 

“I was just thinking...how many cigarettes would it take to lose 15 _years_ ", Eren said softly, refusing to look up.

 

“Why would you- Oh…” It took Levi a moment but he got what the brunet meant. Eren’s friends had been bothered by the age difference yesterday so they must have said something about it to the young man. “Don't worry about what they say. We’re not doing anything illegal and this is _our_ relationship, _our_ decision. Not _theirs_.”

 

“But are _you_ fine with me?”, Eren asked as his eyes snapped up, desperation seeping into his voice and expression. “I’m so immature and childish.”

 

“Of course, I’m fine with you. I wouldn't date you if I wasn't", Levi declared before his eyes softened. “And I love that part of you. That youthful and energetic side of you.”

 

“You don't think I’m immature?”, Eren asked.

 

“No. You may be a bit childish at times, which I find cute, but immature? No, I think you're more mature than most kids at your age", Levi said. “Are you immature compared to me? Yes, but I’m 34 years old. Of course, I’m more mature than you and there's nothing wrong with that.”

 

Eren was quiet as he took the words in. Levi loved him just the way he was. A small smile tugged the corners of his lips up before a thought came to him and he let out a short giggle.

 

“Do you have a lot of experience with ‘kids' my age?”, the brunet asked with a tilt of his head, the soft smile on his lips turning slightly teasing, although, Levi could still see how it didn't quite reach his eyes, insecurity still clinging to ocean green.

 

“I was doing the comparison on the people I knew when I was your age”, Levi answered before a frown formed on his face as he was reminded of his university days. “Those damn noisy, dirty brats…”

 

“Hmm?”

 

“It's nothing.”

 

Eren didn't quite believe that. “Come on. You can't just leave me hanging like that, Levi!”, he insisted as he stood up and stepped closer to Levi.

 

“Well, I just did”, Levi said.

 

Eren huffed before his lips pulled into a pout, his lower lip jutting out.

 

The older rolled his eyes before closing the space between them, wrapping his arms behind Eren’s neck and capturing the brunet’s lips in a kiss. Well, that made the pout disappear, at least.

 

It started getting heated as their tongues came out to play and Levi had to force himself away from that pleasant heat before he felt like bending the brunet over the counter.

 

Eren let out a soft whine as their lips separated. He tried to chase the other’s mouth to press them back together but Levi pushing against his forehead with his own made him stop.

 

“We both still have work and I left without saying anything so I should head back soon", Levi said even as he stood there without moving, their foreheads pressed together as silver eyes met ocean green ones. He really didn't feel like leaving just yet.

 

Eren nodded but still entwined their hands together, not wanting the other to leave either.

 

“I will be back during lunch unless shitty eyebrows decides not to let me leave my desk after this stunt.” Levi was sure he needed a miracle for that not to happen knowing Erwin.

 

“Based on what I’ve heard, he’s a pretty reasonable person, right? So if you just explain…” Eren trailed off as he seemed to reconsider that before shaking his head. “If I can, I will deliver the coffee to you”, he said instead.

 

Levi felt guilt press down on his chest. Eren clearly didn't want anyone else to know about his problems, _obviously_ , but Levi had already opened up about them to his coworkers without the brunet's consent. He would have to talk about that sooner rather than later… But it could wait for now.

 

“That would be wonderful”, Levi hummed before an amused smile rose onto his lips. “I can try to explain to Erwin that I had to rescue a damsel in distress but I doubt that will do anything to help me. He will probably think that I was responding to a booty call or something.”

 

Eren laughed at that, the sound soft but clear.

 

“But didn't you say that you have no sex drive?”, he asked with a curious tone but Levi could see the mischief in those bright eyes and he was glad that the brunet’s eyes seemed to have cleared.

 

“First of all, I never said I had _no_ sex drive. I said I didn't have the sex drive of a hormonal, horny brat. I would gladly bend you over the closest surface so don't try me", Levi said, giving the young man a warning glare. “And secondly, what does that has to do with anything? Most importantly, what does that have to do with _Erwin?_ ”

 

“Well, he's older than you, right?”, Eren asked, a smirk growing on his face.

 

“Yes?” Levi was sure he wouldn't like where this was going. Maybe he should just go back to work quickly.

 

“Then wouldn't he understand that it’s _hard_ for old men like you to get it up?”, Eren teased with a mischievous smirk.

 

“You shitty brat", Levi muttered as his right eye twitched. Never mind _fucking_ this kid’s ass, Levi wanted to _kick_ it right now.

 

“But I’m _your_ shitty brat", Eren said with a smug smirk, obviously proud of the cheesy, cliche phrase that made Levi roll his eyes.

 

“I need to get back to work", the older man said and the brunet's expression immediately fell. He reached out to ruffle Eren’s hair, trying to give him some comfort but not getting too close as he was sure he would only try to postpone his departure. “You should also get back to work. I will see you in a few hours?”

 

“Sure", Eren answered, sulking slightly, before he leaned down to give Levi a chaste kiss. “Have a nice day.”

 

It took Levi a moment to process the quick peck on his lips. He cleared his throat before he answered with a soft ‘you too’ as he forced himself to leave despite just wanting to stay in Eren’s presence.

  
They weren't even halfway through Monday and he already wished it was the weekend so he could just lounge around with the brunet and maybe, just _maybe_ , they could finally ‘make it to the home base’ as they said.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading~ Comments and kudos are appreciated as always~
> 
> Also as a side note: If anyone is interested in talking to me (about my fics, riren or just in general) you can ask for my discord on tumblr (either message me or send an ask off anon) or if you don't have discord you can just message me on tumblr too: siamesepolyporegoat.tumblr.com


	26. Secrets And Trust

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, everybody! I'm here with this week's chapter!
> 
> Also this may be a bit late but I don't remember if I ever said this so I'm going to say it now just in case: While Hanji is non-binary/agender/genderfluid or something like that in this fic, I'm using "brunette" to refer to them because that way I can differentiate between Eren (brunet) and Hanji (brunette) if they both are in the same scene.  
> And yeah, here I am, 25 chapters later explaining this. Good job, me... Although, I'm guessing that probably all of you already realized this...
> 
> Anyway, enjoy~

As expected, Levi got in trouble for leaving without a word. Erwin was pretty mad at him, but once he explained that he had a situation with Eren, some of that anger left his boss. The blond was still displeased with his behavior and gave him extra work to compensate for it but Levi couldn't really complain about it. Had he worked anywhere else, he would’ve most likely been fired. Besides, he got Eren to deliver him his cup of coffee so it was all good.

 

“I heard Levi’s cutie came to visit!”

 

Yes, it  _ was _ all good but not anymore.

 

“Okay, who are you using as a spy on this floor, you shitty four-eyes!?”, Levi snapped as Hanji skipped over to his desk. The short man pulled Eren behind him so the lunatic couldn't get their hands on him. Who knew what germs they would spread to the young man since proper hygiene wasn't a thing that the brunette was familiar with most of the time.

 

Hanji gave him a secretive smirk. “It's a secret~!”

 

Levi rolled his eyes. “I will find out sooner or later”, he muttered.

 

Hanji ignored Levi as they went around the desk to get closer to Eren but the black haired man prevented them from getting within touching distance.

 

“I want to talk to sweet Eren over here! Levi always keeps you to himself so we never have a chance to talk!”

 

“And today won’t be any different so fuck off", Levi said, glaring at the brunette.

 

“Aww...Don't be like that, my short friend!” Levi felt his eye twitch as he tried not to punch them for that comment. He would hold out until Eren was gone and then make an example out of the eccentric brunette.

 

“Fuck. Off", Levi hissed. “Or do I need to call Moblit?”

 

“You have nothing to worry about, Levi! I won't try to steal him from you!”, Hanji assured before smirking. “Even if he is one little cutie pie just waiting to be eaten.”

 

“Uh…”

 

“Look, you're making him uncomfortable so just stop and  _ fuck off _ ", Levi ordered with a warning glare. “And don’t you have work to do?”

 

“It's lunch break and like you're one to talk about working when you were skipping just a few hours ago!”, Hanji countered.

 

Levi sighed as he stood up and grabbed Eren’s hand before starting to drag the brunet away.

 

“I knew I should’ve taken up Erwin’s offer on getting myself a private office…”, he muttered as he led Eren towards the elevators. “Sorry, Eren.”

 

“I should be the one apologizing. I always just cause trouble for you…”, Eren said apologetically.

 

“It's not your-”

 

“Levi, pleeeeease? I just want to talk with him a little bit”, Hanji asked, following after them.

 

“No", Levi denied.

 

“What are you so afraid of? I really just want to talk to him and get to know him”, the brunette said before lowering their voice. “And as your friend I have to make sure he's good for you!”

 

“I don't need your or  _ anyone's _ approval on my relationship so thanks for the thought but fuck off", Levi said with a frown.

 

“But Leviiiiii!”

 

“Um...I don't really mind exchanging a few words", Eren said, the two older people turning their attention to him. He shifted from one foot to another uncomfortably at their scrutiny before looking at Levi. “You're busy, right? I don't want to hold you off your work any longer so I will just talk to them for a bit and leave, okay?”

 

Levi wanted to say ‘hell no’ but who could deny the brunet’s request when those big, bright turquoise eyes stared at him like that. Levi surely couldn't. He really had it bad, didn't he?

 

“Okay, fine", he consented reluctantly. “But if this fucker does or says anything even  _ slightly _ weird, you have my permission to punch the shit out of them.”

 

Hanji made an offended sound while a soft laugh left Eren’s lips. If Levi had it bad, Eren had it even  _ worse. _ After all, he was hopelessly in love this rude, foul-mouthed man.

 

“I will. Don't worry about it”, the brunet laughed as he reached out to kiss his boyfriend on the cheek. “Now get back to work. Your coffee is getting cold.”

 

Levi rolled his eyes as Hanji let out a squeal at the kiss like it was the first one they had ever seen. He sent them a warning glare before complying with Eren’s request and going back to his desk, glancing back on his way to make sure the brunette wasn't strangling the young man or something similar.

 

Once Levi was gone, Hanji turned to Eren with a bright smile.

 

“Let's get out of the way and move to the side, shall we?”, they suggested but didn't wait for the brunet to respond before walking to hallway leading to the bathrooms and leaning on the wall. “I have soooo many things to ask!”

 

“Umm...I still have work so let's keep this short for now, okay?”, Eren requested.

 

“Oh, yeah, right, sure! I will only focus on the important things!”, the older promised. “Oh, we never had a formal introduction, did we? Silly me! Although, it's probably Mr. Grumpy’s fault.” Hanji made a thoughtful face for a moment before the enthusiastic smile was back as they extended their hand for a shake. “I’m Hanji Zoe, a coworker and great, longtime friend of Levi’s!”

 

“I’m Eren Yeager”, Eren said as he shook their hand. He scratched at his cheek with his free hand as a soft blush formed on his cheeks. “I’m Levi’s boyfriend.”

 

“Oh, I know, sweetie!”, Hanji said.

 

Eren wasn't sure what he thought of Hanji and their use of nicknames yet but they didn't seem like a bad person. They seemed a bit invasive though.

 

“So what did you want to ask?”, he asked, staring expectantly at the other.

 

“Oh, yes! Let's start with something simple: how old are you? I know you work at the coffee shop but do you go to school on the side?”, Hanji asked.

 

“I’m 19 and no, I don't go to school", Eren answered, the mention of school darkening his mood. Did Hanji think the coffee shop was going to fall apart too? Was it in  _ that _ bad of a shape? “Besides, the closest university is over 30 kilometers away. That's a bit too long of a distance to travel every day from here.”

 

“There's the local vocational school though?”, Hanji wondered out loud.

 

“Yes, but there’s nothing of interest there anymore. I already studied hotel and restaurant management there to work in the coffee shop”, Eren explained. He really didn't want to talk about education with someone who was basically a stranger. Although, he might've done that with Levi also. He really needed to stop opening up to unknown people about himself so easily…

 

“Oh, I see", Hanji hummed before an excited smile rose onto their face and it was like the floodgates had been opened as they started to list off questions. “How's sex life? Is Levi good in bed? Which one of you bottoms? Or do you switch? Oh, but I really can't imagine that control freak letting someone dominate him. Ah, but there's that thing...what's it called? Power bottom? That Levi could definitely be!”

 

“Um...Hanji-”, Eren tried to interrupt, his face burning and red all the way up to his ears. However, the brunette didn't seem to hear him as they continued rambling on and on.

 

“But Levi must be quite rough on you. I have seen him without a shirt on and I’m sure he could go on for days with those abs!”

 

Eren felt a tinge of jealousy and possessiveness at that.

 

“Oh, yeah, but he's getting old, isn’t he? Can he still get it up? Oh, right! Is he big? I’ve heard that short guys usually make up their lack of height in length! Is that true?”, Hanji continued enthusiastically.

 

“Hanji, please-”

 

“He remembers to use a lot of lube and prepares you well beforehand, right? He can be such a hasty man sometimes. He hasn't made you rip and bleed, right? That can cause serious problems! Oh, and sex toys! I bet Levi is kinky as all hell so you  _ must _ have tried some! But be careful! Those can get stuck and that would be a more embarrassing reason to go to the doctor than a bleeding anus!”

 

“We haven't-”

 

“Does he use condoms? He's such a clean freak so he  _ must _ . Oh, but it could be that he goes in bare and doesn't care about making a mess during sex? Is that the case or-"

 

“We haven't done it!”, Eren shouted, quickly slapping his hands over his mouth, his cheeks bright red with embarrassment.

 

“You...haven't had sex yet?”, the brunette asked, calming down and  _ finally _ listening to him.

 

“Yes", Eren sighed.

 

“Oh...Why?”, Hanji asked. It was weird how calm the other was suddenly.

 

“Just...haven't had the chance", the brunet mumbled with a shrug. “Besides, Levi said he wasn't in any rush so I shouldn't be either. It's fine like this.”

 

“That shorty is depriving his young lover of sex? Wow, we have something to talk about”, Hanji said.

 

“Please, don't talk to Levi about this. I know he's a private person and I don't want to make him angry”, Eren pleaded.

 

“It's alright. He knows me and how I’m able to get whatever I want out of people so he won't be angry at you", they reassured.

 

Eren still much preferred that they kept it to themself.

 

“I won't keep you for much longer but there's one more thing I’d like to ask that has more to do with _ you _ than Levi", Hanji said, their tone and expression turning serious, the change making Eren nervous. “Are you alright?”

 

“Eh?” The question surprised and confused Eren. What did they mean by that?

 

“I heard that you had...suicidal thoughts. Levi said not to talk to you about it but my friend committed suicide and I can't just  _ not _ get involved and say something. I don’t want other people to go through that pain. While it may not always seem like it, life is worth living. Trust me”, Hanji said, holding the brunet's gaze. “So...are you alright?”

 

Eren’s eyes widened and his mouth hung open as if to say something but not a sound came out. Levi told Hanji!? Despite knowing that Eren didn't even want his friends to know, Levi went and told about his problems to a _ stranger!? _ And without telling him!?

 

He swallowed thickly as he clenched his jaw so he would accidentally snap at Hanji. It wasn't their fault. He should be thanking the brunette for telling him.

 

Oh, how  _ stupid _ he was to trust that Levi would keep it a secret. People said it a lot to him. He trusted people too easily. Maybe it was because he couldn't trust himself so he shifted his trust onto other people. And he paid the price for it.

 

Eren didn't answer Hanji’s question. He turned on his heels and marched out of the hallway and towards the office and Levi’s desk.

 

“Hey, Eren!?”, Hanji called out to him.

 

The black haired man looked up once he heard the shout and was surprised to find Eren walking towards him with a furious look on his face.

 

“What did Hanji-"

 

_ Slap! _

 

The loud sound seemed to echo around the office, everyone quieting down as they watched the scene unfold.

 

Levi was shocked. Eren...slapped him?

 

He blinked a few times before he focused on the brunet. He was about to ask what the hell the brat was doing but the look on Eren’s face made the words get caught in his throat.

 

Eren was trembling, tears falling down his cheeks and fists clenched tightly.

 

“I trusted you", he muttered with barely contained anger. “I fucking trusted you!”

 

“What did I-"

 

“You told Hanji! You told them about my problems!”, Eren shouted. He didn't even care if the whole office heard him at this point.

 

Levi’s eyes widened. “I-"

 

“No! I don't want your excuses right now!”, Eren yelled, his breathing shuddering and heavy as he tried to contain himself. He never was good at that, was he? “How _dare_ you! I trusted you! What else have you said!? Who else have you told!?”

 

“Eren, I didn't mean to hurt you”, Levi explained, reaching out for one of Eren’s tightly clenched fists.

 

“Don't touch me!”, Eren shouted as he slapped the hand away and took a few steps back, colliding into Hanji. He looked at them before looking around the office to see all of the people there looking at them. He bit his lip as he turned on his heels and started to walk quickly towards the elevators.

 

“Eren, wait!”, Levi called as he ran after him, grabbing onto his wrist.

 

“No! Leave me alone, Levi!”, Eren yelled as he shoved the older man away harshly. He didn't spare another look at Levi as he marched away. “And don’t bother looking for me.”

 

With that the brunet disappeared into the elevator, leaving a stunned Levi behind.

 

“Fuck…”, he cursed softly as he ran a hand through his hair, messing it up. “Fuck!”

  
He fucked up again. He made Eren run away from him in tears  _ again. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well...it can't all just be fluff, right?
> 
> Thank you for reading~ Comments and kudos are greatly appreciated!


	27. Voices And Sleeping Pills

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, everyone! I'm back again with this week's chapter~ Enjoy~

Instead of returning to work, Eren headed to Levi’s apartment. Maybe he was overreacting. Maybe it wasn't such a big deal. But he didn't care right now. He was hurting. He felt _betrayed_.

 

Eren backed his belongings into his bag but only the ones that he had bought, leaving everything that Levi had given him. He couldn't take those with him. They may have been bought for him but it felt wrong and the thought of having things that reminded him of Levi would only make him feel worse. Especially since he didn't know when he’d come back, when he’d be able to forgive Levi. Would he ever? Would he just leave and never come back? Could he do that? Eren doubted it but the voice in the back of his head just had to open its mouth, baring its sharp teeth in a wicked grin.

 

_He won't want you back._

 

_He can't be trusted._

 

_He doesn't care about you._

 

Eren felt more tears well up in his eyes as he packed the last thing he had, the vase on the nightstand, before he dropped the key that Levi had given him on the kitchen counter and exited the apartment.

 

He didn't know where he would go. He just knew that he wanted to be alone. He just wanted to have a place to clear his head in for a few days. Levi would find him if he went back to his old apartment.

 

The voice nagged at him about his work and the coffee shop. Levi would see him at work. But he could take a few days off. He could afford it. He had saved some money since starting to live with Levi. He would manage for a while until he was ready to face Levi.

 

Eren went back to the coffee shop to get the rest of his things and the money in there. Once he had gathered everything, he felt his phone buzz in his pocket. He took it out and looked at the caller ID.

 

 _Levi_.

 

Of course, he would call. Was it to explain? To make excuses? To apologize?

 

_To break up?_

 

Eren hung up the call and blocked Levi’s number. He didn't want to hear his voice right now. He couldn't. He was far too messed up in the head right now to listen. He was afraid he would only make everything worse.

 

Eren left the coffee shop and walked towards the railway station. He didn't know where he was going but he just had to get out of here. Somewhere where Levi couldn't find him.

 

He dialled Armin’s number.

 

* * *

 

Levi heaved a heavy sigh as the call was denied yet again. The first time it was hung up after a few rings but now it went straight to voicemail. But he still tried again, pressing the call button to dial Eren but it was no different from the previous four times.

 

“It's not going through?”, Petra asked worriedly.

 

Levi shook his head as it hung low, looking at his phone as if that would help him connect the call.

 

They were sitting in Erwin’s office; he, Hanji, Erwin, Petra, Eld and Oluo.

 

“I’m sorry", Hanji said. They had been keeping their distance for a while now, afraid that Levi would just snap at them. “I really am. I didn't think he would…”

 

“Exactly. You didn't think", Levi hissed, eyes still on his phone. “I specifically said not to talk to him about it so why the hell did you do it?”

 

Levi’s voice was quiet and his words lacking the usual bite. He sounded tired.

 

“I just wanted to help him", Hanji said, their voice full of guilt.

 

Before any more could be said there was knock on the door.

 

“Who is it?”, Erwin asked.

 

 _“Gunther"_ came the answer.

 

“Come in.”

 

The door was opened, the tanned man walking in with a blank look on his face. He smiled a bit at Levi when the short man raised his tired, red-rimmed eyes to the other.

 

“The snow on the railing was undisturbed so I doubt he jumped. I also waited there for a while in case he showed up but he didn't”, Gunther explained.

 

Erwin had sent Gunther to investigate, to make sure Eren wasn't on the bottom of the river, too afraid to let Levi leave in his state to search for the brunet. He had no doubts that Levi would throw himself down the bridge to search for the young man if he didn't find Eren anywhere else.

 

Levi heaved a sigh of relief but he didn't look very relieved. He wasn't really. Eren could be _anywhere_ , doing _anything_ . He could be in the bathtub with bloody wrists or splattered on the concrete underneath his balcony or laying lifelessly on the road, bleeding, hurting, _dying_.

 

“I have to find him", Levi said as he tried to stand up from the couch but he was pulled back by Petra and Eld who were sitting next to him while Oluo and Gunther went to stand in front of him, in case the short man managed to escape the ‘first line of defense’. Levi started to struggle out of their hold. On normal days the two of them wouldn't have a chance against him but today he just felt so _drained_. It was like Eren took all of his energy with him.

 

“Levi, calm down. If he doesn't want to be found, I doubt you'll find him", Erwin said, trying to be the voice of reason but so far it wasn't working.

 

“No, Erwin, fuck you and calming down!", Levi snapped. “I _have_ to find him! He could be hurting himself!”

 

“Trust him a little”, Eld said. “He's an adult. He can take care of himself.”

 

“‘Trust him’? To what? Not to kill or hurt himself?”, Levi scoffed. “You don't know him! He might go off at even the _slightest_ of setbacks sometimes so what do you think _this_ will make him do!?”

 

“Levi-”

 

“No, you don't understand! You don't know how many times I’ve had to get him off that fucking bridge! How many times I've had to comfort him and tell him that it will be alright-”

 

Levi’s rant was interrupted by a hard slap. He raised his hand to his aching cheek, which was abused for the second time that day, as he looked up at Hanji.

 

“What the-"

 

“Don’t you ‘what the fuck’ me! What the fuck is wrong with _you!?_ ”, Hanji shouted as they glared at the black haired man. “So now you're _complaining_ about Eren!? You're making it sound like he’s a burden to you!”

 

Levi opened his mouth to deny that but paused as he thought over what he just said.

 

“That's not what I meant", he sighed as he slumped against the backrest. “That's not what I meant at all. He’s in no way a burden.”

 

Everyone was quiet. It had been a long time since Erwin and Hanji had seen their short friend so down. Petra, Oluo, Gunther and Eld, on the other hand, were sure that they had _never_ seen Levi like this. He was the type of person to hide it if something was wrong and deal with whatever it was on his own.

 

“Just give him time", Petra said softly, breaking the silence before it lingered too long.

 

“Yeah, it's better to let him cool off for a while before apologizing", Eld agreed.

 

Levi nodded slowly. He felt calmer now but he couldn't stop worrying about Eren. But who would? If your significant other had suicidal tendencies, you too would be really worried in the current situation. Or if not, you probably didn't deserve them or their love.

 

“I’m giving you the rest of the day off", Erwin said. “It's better if you go home and rest for today.”

 

“Yeah", Levi agreed as he stood up, this time no one stopping him. He felt emotionally exhausted, completely _drained._

 

He walked home, refusing Oluo’s offer for a ride. He stopped by the bridge, making sure there really was no signs of Eren being there recently. It wasn't like he didn't trust what Gunther said but the brunet could've come here afterwards.

 

Relieved after seeing that the snow on the railing seemed intact in all places, he resumed with his walk home. He took the elevator up, far too tired to climb the stairs. He couldn't wait to curl up in bed next to-

 

No, Eren wouldn't be there. Or at least, he doubted so. There was still a small spark of hope that maybe, just maybe, Eren _was_ there.

 

That spark was quickly extinguished as he noticed that Eren’s shoes were gone. Or at least the two pairs of old shoes the brunet had had for who knows how long. The new winter boots Levi had bought for him a while ago were still there.

 

As he went through the apartment, he noticed that all of Eren’s things were gone except for the ones that he had bought for Eren. Did this mean that Eren wasn’t planning on coming back? Was he just going to disappear from Levi’s life?

 

Levi rubbed at his eyes before letting out a tired sigh. He didn't bother with his clothes as he slipped into bed, uncaring if they were going to be wrinkly tomorrow, but even with his exhaustion, he couldn't fall asleep. The bed was cold without Eren’s warm body pressed against him. It hadn't been even been that long ago since he slept alone. Now he wondered, how he ever did it.

 

Oh, right. He _didn't._ He had to tire himself out or take sleeping pills to fall asleep before. When was the last time he took a pill? That night before Eren’s trip to the hospital? He still sometimes woke up during the nights but he didn't have to rely on medicine or to exhaust himself to fall back asleep nowadays. Just feeling Eren in his arms helped him fall back asleep.

 

But what if Eren wasn't here? What if he _never_ came back?

  
_The pills it is then_ , Levi thought as he slowly got up from the bed and went into the kitchen to down a sleeping pill.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading~ Comments and kudos are appreciated as always~!


	28. Reconciliation And Chinese Takeout

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, everyone! I'm back with another chapter! Enjoy~

“When will you tell me what happened?”, Armin asked as he looked over at Eren who was wrapped up in a thick blanket, curled up in bed in the guest room of Armin’s house.

 

The brunet had called him and asked to stay the night. When he had asked why the other just said that Levi did something but didn't elaborate further. Armin was fine with that then, but it had been  _ three days _ and Eren had isolated himself from the world. He barely ate during the day, preferring to just lay around in bed all day, but Armin doubted he really slept either based on the dark circles under his eyes.

 

“Am I too trusting? Am I too naive and immature?”, Eren asked, his voice muffled by the thick blanket so Armin almost missed what he said.

 

“What is this about? Did he cheat on you?”, the blond asked instead of answering. His brows furrowed as he added: “Are you even dating? I heard from Mikasa that you were but she heard that from Marco so the information has changed hands too many times to be reliable.”

 

“We are. Or  _ were _ , at least. I don't know if we still are", Eren said softly, followed by a sniffle like he was holding back tears.

 

“So what happened?”, Armin asked as he sat down on the edge of the bed and gently started to pull back the blanket so he could see and hear the brunet better.

 

“I…” What could he say? Levi spread around his suicidal thoughts? That would go well… “I...told him a secret", he started carefully, avoiding looking at the blond man. “And he… he told it to someone else.”

 

Armin was silent for a while, processing the information and debating whether or not he should ask what this ‘secret’ was while Eren chewed on his bottom lip anxiously.

 

“I'm not going to force you to tell me what the secret is if you don't want to”, he started and the brunet looked slightly relieved at that. “But I still want to help you. How serious secret was it?”

 

When Eren struggled to come up with anything, his mouth opening and closing, Armin sighed.

 

“Was it something embarrassing? Like, I don't know, something sexual or intimate? Maybe something personal? Like your password or something like that?”, the blond asked as he eyed his friend closely, trying to see if he reacted to any of the things he said. “No? Nothing like that?”

 

“No, or well, it  _ is _ personal but not like  _ that _ . It's…”, Eren explained hesitantly as he briefly rolled his lower lip between his teeth in thought. “It's...something to do with my...behaviour, I guess? Or my thoughts?” He grabbed onto his hair and pulled at the strands as if the slight pain would help him think clearer. “I really don't know how to explain it but it just was something really  _ really _ personal that I wouldn't want anyone else to know about.”

 

_ Something personal about Eren's behaviour and thoughts? Something even I, as his close friend, wouldn't know of? _

 

Armin couldn't come up with anything and Eren looked anxious, like he dreaded that he would figure out the brunet's secret.

 

“Okay, so it's something really personal. I get it. I won't pry more”, Armin reassured. “Have you talked to him since then? Has he apologized or told you why he did it?”

 

Eren shook his head as he refused to make eye contact with him.

 

“I blocked his number”, he mumbled.

 

Armin blinked but maybe he shouldn't be surprised. It was Eren, after all. His first defense mechanism was to fight and if he couldn't do that, he would shut off whatever bother him and run away. But that's what they called the fight-or-flight response, right?

 

“So you didn't even give him a chance?”, the blond said, making sure his voice was as disapproving as possible. “You can't run away from your problems, Eren. It's been three days! Give him a chance to explain and apologize. You can't hide here forever.”

 

That seemed to go through Eren’s thick skull but Armin doubted that his main point really sunk in.

 

“I'm sorry. I'm being a bother, aren't I? I will leave-”

 

“No, just sit back down”, Armin ordered as he pushed the brunet back onto the bed when he started to get up. “I didn't say you were a bother but you need stop running away. Just take your phone and call him. Listen to him, let him explain his actions and  _ then _ think what to do, okay?” He gave Eren's shoulders a firm shake to make his point come across this time.

 

The brunet was silent and still before nodding softly after a while.

 

“Okay”, he said. “Okay, I will call him.”

 

Giving a smile and a reassuring squeeze to his shoulders, the blond straightened before leaving Eren alone to give him privacy.

 

“I will order some food so come eat once you're ready, okay?”, he called but didn't wait for an answer before shutting the guest room door.

 

Eren stared at the closed door for a while before reaching for his phone and powering it on. He had shut it off after Mikasa kept calling him when he didn't answer her texts.

 

He should've expected all the missed calls and texts from her. There were even a few from Marco, Bertholdt and Historia. Mikasa had probably contacted everyone. It made a small smile rise onto his lips. She truly was a great friend despite her overprotective nature. He should call her and apologize.

 

But first was Levi.

 

Eren's finger hovered over the call button. He took a deep breath before pressing it and placing the phone on his ear. He could hear his frantic heartbeat and he just wished...for what? That Levi didn't answer or that he did?

 

He didn't get a chance to decide as the call connected. He held his breath.

 

_ “Eren?” _

 

The voice was tentative and soft, almost like Levi couldn't believe that Eren had called him.

 

“Yes”, the brunet answered, swallowing past the lump in his throat.

 

There was a sharp inhale from the other end.  _ “Eren, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to spread your...circumstances around. I swear, I didn't. I told Hanji about it after the first time I saw you on the bridge because….I don't know why I did it really. I understand if you want to break up but, please, Eren, I have to know- I have to see that you're okay.” _

 

Levi sounded so sincere and...like he was holding back tears?

 

“Who else have you told?”, Eren asked, biting on his lips afterwards.

 

_ “I swear they're people who won't judge you. I told a few of my other friends at work. I just...I don't know. I really don't know”, _ Levi said with a tired sigh. He sounded so frustrated with himself.  _ “I want to apologize to you in person and you probably don't want to live with me after this but I can't let you go back to living in that craphole. I can look for an apartment for you and I will pay for the rent- _ ”

 

“Stop it”, Eren said, tears filling his eyes. “Just stop it.”

 

_ “Eren, I- _ ”

 

“I still love you. I still want to live with you. I don't want to break up”, the brunet cried, the tears falling down his cheeks. “I don't know how to trust you right now but I forgive you. I forgive you so, please, don't leave me. I love you.”

 

Levi was silent and Eren feared that he had scared him away or something before the other spoke up again.

 

_ “It's alright. I will gain back your trust, I promise, and never break it again”,  _ Levi swore firmly but his voice turned soft as he continued.  _ “I promise, I won't leave you but first you have to come back to me.” _

 

Eren nodded before he realized that the man couldn't see it. “Yeah.”

 

_ “I can come pick you up. Where are you?” _

 

“I'm...I'm far away”, the brunet mumbled. “I will take the train to come back.”

 

_ “I will pick you up from the train station then, okay?” _

 

The brunet nodded again before hurriedly saying a soft ‘okay’.

 

_ “I...I have to go now. I have work I need to finish _ _”,_ Levi said hesitantly after a moment of silence.

 

“Mmhm...See you later?”, Eren said tentatively.

 

_ “See you later. Remember to text or call me before the train is here. I don't want you to wait in the cold, okay?” _

 

“Sure.”

 

_ “Oh, and Eren?” _

 

“Yeah?”

 

_ “I love you.” _

 

A wide smile rose onto Eren's lips. “I love you too.” With that they ended the call.

 

Eren fell back against the bed, the dark cloud that had been over his head for the last few days finally dissipating. He held his phone to his chest and took a deep breath before forcing himself up and out of the room. His limbs felt slack and tired from the lack of use and for the first time since he arrived at Armin's place, he felt how hungry he really was.

 

“Hey”, Eren greeted as he saw Armin sitting on the kitchen table while eating what appeared to be chinese takeout and reading a book.

 

“That was faster than I thought”, Armin said as he lifted his eyes off the pages of the book to point on the counter to a plastic bag. “There's yours.”

 

“Thanks”, the brunet said as he went to the plastic bag and pulled out the two containers. One of them had dumplings in it and the other kung pao chicken. “You know me too well”, he chuckled as he sat down opposite of the blond.

 

“I'd hope so after, what, almost ten years?”, Armin said before shaking his head as if in disbelief at how long it had been. “Also half of the dumplings are for me so don't you dare eat them all!”

 

“Should you be daring me not to do it?”, Eren asked with a sparkle in his eyes.

 

“Eren, I will tell Mikasa that you're here if you do that. She isn't happy about all those missed calls and unanswered texts, you know?”, the blond said, trying to look innocent but Eren could see the little devil in front of him.

 

The brunet rolled his eyes before he dug into his food.

 

“I will call her once I'm back home”, he said. He paused in putting some chicken into his mouth.

 

_ ‘Home’. _

 

He wasn't going to his apartment. He was going home, to Levi. He was going to that warm apartment, to that soft bed and into those strong arms, not to that cold and dusty storage room on top of the coffee shop. The thought made him smile subconsciously.

 

“I'm glad that you seem better”, Armin said, snapping him out of his thoughts. The blond had a small smile on his lips as Eren raised his eyes to look at the other.

 

“Well, things will be better now. At least, somewhat”, he explained with a shy smile as he scratched at his cheek.

 

“That's good”, the shorter man said before he turned back to his food and the book.

 

They were silent for a while until the brunet spoke up again.

 

“How's your grandpa? He hasn't been home since I came”, he asked carefully. He knew the old man had to make frequent visit to the hospital due to his back problems but he hadn't seen him for the whole three days.

 

“Ah, yeah, he's...fine...for now, at least. His back started acting up around a week ago and he's been in the hospital since”, Armin explained, pushing pieces of vegetables around with his fork. “A surgery is starting to seem more and more urgent.”

 

Eren bit at his lip as he hung his head in shame. Armin had problems of his own and here he was being a nuisance and a burden to the blond.

 

“Sorry, I-”

 

Armin raised a hand to stop whatever Eren was about to say.

 

“It's alright. I'm used to his presence at home but now that he's in the hospital, I’m alone so I like the company”, he assured with a soft smile.

 

Eren didn't know what to say. He just smiled back at his friend and hoped it didn't look too forced.

 

As the blond was busy reading his book, he decided to take out his phone and text Marco, Bertholdt and Historia to tell them that he was fine. He didn’t dare to text Mikasa yet as he knew once he did that, the woman would call him right back and he wasn’t ready for the scolding yet.

 

Armin finished his meal before reaching for the dumplings. As he was about to take the container, something caught his eye. His brow furrowed.

 

“What happened to your wrist?”, he asked as he eyed the bandage peeking out under the sleeve of Eren’s shirt.

 

The brunet flinched and set down his phone slowly. His heart started racing fast as he thought of what to say.

 

“Uh...I just sprained it”, he lied, avoiding eye contact as he pulled his sleeve up to hide the bandages.

 

Armin narrowed his eyes. “Did you go to the doctor?”, he asked.

 

“Yes”, Eren answered, maybe a bit too quickly.

 

“Eren, you know that I’m studying medicine, right?”, Armin asked with a sigh. “That’s not how a doctor would wrap a sprained wrist. What really happened?”

 

Eren bit his bottom lip as he frantically thought of a better lie because there was no way he was telling Armin that he had cut himself on purpose because he felt like shit. He didn’t want to worry his friend and neither did he want Armin to know how much of a failure he was at life.

 

“It’s....really embarrassing, okay?”, he started, licking his lips briefly in his nervousness. “I was cooking and wasn’t paying enough attention so my hand slipped and I accidentally cut my wrist.”

 

It hurt to admit that he had cut himself, even if he claimed it was on accident. However, it hurt even more when he saw the unconvinced, disappointed look that Armin gave him. The blond didn’t question him further on his injury, though, thankfully.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not really sure about this chapter /: It may be because I'm tired and stressed out over stuff but I just didn't feel like this was all that great. However, I hope you still liked it! Thank you for reading~ Comments and kudos are greatly appreciated!


	29. Cold Hands And Make-Up Sex

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, everyone! I'm back with another chapter and boy oh boy I hope you enjoy~!

Eren was nervous as he stepped out of the train and into the snow. He had texted Levi a few minutes ago in the train that he was almost at the station. Maybe he shouldn't have done that. Maybe he should've just walked back to the apartment. That way he would've had more time to think and let the cold air clear his head.

 

No, but he promised to inform Levi. The older man may have betrayed his trust but that was no reason for Eren to break his promise.

 

He didn't need to walk for long until he saw that familiar short man, leaning against a wall with his arms crossed. He looked indifferent but the brunet could see how those eyes flicked between the passing people until they landed on Eren, who stood frozen on his spot a few meters away.

 

“Eren-”

 

Eren could hear Levi's breath hitch in his throat as the older took slow, careful steps towards him, as if he was afraid of scaring the young man away if he moved too fast.

 

“Eren, I'm sorry. I really am-”

 

Before Levi could finish, Eren latched onto the short man once he was close enough. Levi was frozen in shock for a moment before he tentatively wrapped his arms around the brunet's waist to hold him close.

 

Yes, this felt right. This warmth, these strong arms around him and that soft black hair tickling his cheek. Oh, how much he had missed this.

 

“I'm home”, Eren said softly as he pulled away a little to look at Levi's face, tears glimmering in his eyes and a small, warm smile on his lips.

 

Levi returned the smile. “Welcome back.”

 

* * *

 

Eren was pushed against the closed door right as the lock clicked shut. Their lips were against each other instantly, the kiss fueled by passion, desire and longing.

 

Eren's arms wrapped around Levi's neck, his fingers running through the shaved part of the short man's hair while Levi had his hands on the brunet's hips so he could press them against his. The action elicited soft moans muffled by the kiss from them both.

 

Levi continued to grind their hips together for a while longer until he couldn't take the feel of layers of clothing between them anymore. He slid his hands from Eren's hips to the young man's jacket, unzipping and sliding it off the other before he threw it on the floor. His own soon followed along with the rest of their outerwear, shoes thrown carelessly on the floor. Would it have been any other time, Levi would’ve been bothered by the mess but right now his full focus was on the brunet in his arms.

 

“Haah...Levi...bedroom...please?”, Eren panted as their lips separated, the short man going further down to nibble at that tanned neck.

 

Levi didn't need to be told twice. He placed his hands on the backs of Eren's tights and the brunet took the hint, jumping a little to wrap his legs around Levi's hips. He let out a soft moan as their still clothed cocks rubbed together before Levi was claiming his lips again.

 

Levi made sure he had a good hold on the other before he spun them around and carried Eren to the bedroom, setting him down on the soft, navy blue comforter.

 

Eren letting out a soft whine as Levi pulled away from him, quickly grabbing hold of his sleeve.

 

“I'm just getting the condoms and lube, Eren”, Levi reassured, his voice raw with lust and desire, as he ran a finger on Eren's rosy red bottom lip. “So just lay down and relax.”

 

Eren nodded as he let go and fell back against the soft bed, Levi’s scent surrounding him, while he watched the short man turn on his bedside lamp and rummage through his nightstand for the items. It didn't take long for him to find them before he joined the brunet on the bed, setting the packet of condoms and the bottle of lube onto the side for now.

 

Levi got on top of the brunet with his elbows propping him up as he leaned down to kiss Eren. It was gentle and soft, so different from the passionate, lust-driven kiss they shared just moments ago.

 

“Are you sure you want to do this, Eren?”, Levi asked as he leaned back to look at the tanned man in the eyes.

 

“I am sure. I've wanted this for so long”, Eren insisted, the ocean green in his eyes set ablaze with desire and resolution.

 

“But can you  _ trust _ me?”, the older man asked with a significant look.

 

“I…” Eren didn't know what to say. He wanted this and he wanted to trust Levi. He would still need time to regain his whole trust but… “I probably can't trust you with a secret but I...I trust that you won't hurt me.” Ocean green met silver as Eren smiled up to the older man. “And I love you. I love you above anything else and I want to do this.”

 

Now convinced that Eren truly wanted them to go all the way, that the brunet still wanted  _ Levi _ despite what he did, he leaned in to kiss the young man as his hands wandered beneath Eren's shirt.

 

The brunet let out a gasp, breaking the kiss, as the cold hands touched his warm skin.

 

“Your hands are cold”, he said, a hint of a whine mixing in.

 

“Sorry.” Levi leaned down again to press their lips together as he ran his fingers on the warm, tanned skin.

 

“Did you wait a long time on the station?”, Eren asked once they separated, shivering a little as Levi pressed a kiss to his jaw.

 

“Just a bit”, Levi said as he trailed small kisses down Eren's neck as far as he could go with their clothes still on before he went back up again, his hands working on taking the brunet's shirt off.

 

He had gone to the train station after Eren sent him a message, saying that he had just gotten on the train, instead of waiting for the brunet to announce that the train was almost at the station. After the message Levi had been too anxious to just sit at home so, instead, he waited on the station for over half an hour in the cold but he wasn't going to say that.

 

Eren let out a content sigh as Levi once again pressed their lips together, this time with more fervour, slipping his tongue between the brunet's lips.

 

“Mmhm...Levi”, Eren mumbled into the kiss as he started fumbling with the buttons on Levi's shirt. He managed to unbutton two of the buttons with difficulty before he sighed in frustration and pulled away from the kiss. “I hate your shirt.”

 

Levi let out a chuckle as he pressed a light kiss on the tip of the young man's nose before he pulled Eren's shirt over his head and threw it on the floor.

 

“Want me to stop wearing it then?”, he asked as he sat back on his knees and slowly started to unbutton the shirt while looking down at the half-naked brunet through half-lidded eyes.

 

“R-right now? Yes. Completely? No”, Eren answered, his breath hitching slightly as he watched the short man clearly trying to seduce him. It was working incredibly well, not that Levi even needed to seduce him in the first place. “You look hot wearing button down shirts.” He looked at Levi through his lashes as he reached out with his foot to rub the older man's thigh lightly. “But you'd look hotter without anything on right now.”

 

The innocent look and the seductive, purred words went straight to Levi's cock despite the cliché pick-up line and he hastily unbuttoned the last few buttons, done with the show. He threw the shirt on the floor with Eren's, more focused on the half-naked, tanned beauty on his bed rather than the mess that they were leaving behind.

 

“You really don't understand the things you do to me”, Levi said as he once again leaned over Eren to press their lips together briefly.

 

Eren let out a soft whine as the kiss ended sooner than he wanted.

 

“I think it goes both ways”, he said as he wrapped his arms around Levi's shoulders to pull him down to connected their lips again.

 

Levi hummed into the kiss as his other hand, which wasn't busy holding his weight up, cupped Eren's clothed cock.

 

Eren gasped, breaking the kiss, as his hard member was finally getting some much needed friction. He let out a soft moan as the older started to grope the length through the fabric of his pants.

 

“L-Levi, I want all clothes off”, the brunet mumbled before another soft moan escaped his lips when Levi gave his cock one more squeeze before letting go.

 

Levi sat back on his knees and for a moment just took in the sight of Eren laying down on his back, his flushed, tanned skin looking absolutely beautiful against the navy blue of the blanket and those ocean green eyes shining as the light hit them just right. Eren looked so beautiful, so  _ perfect _ . It made Levi hesitate for a moment but a needy whimper from the younger man was all it took to get rid of that hesitation.

 

Eren was so aroused and Levi was just staring at him. It made his cheeks burn but he pushed past his embarrassment as he slid a hand under the waistband of his pants and underwear, slowly starting to tug them down. He let out a soft whimper as the fabric rubbed against his erection and he was glad that Levi was done with the staring.

 

The shorter man placed his hands onto Eren's hips, feeling them around before helping the young man get naked. He let out a soft grunt at the sight of the brunet completely bared in front of him before starting to undo his own pants.

 

Eren was looking at the older man's hands, how they nimbly unbuttoned and unzipped the jeans before tugging them down. His eyes were half-lidded, pupils blown with arousal and Levi could see a pearl of pre-cum on the tip of his dick.

 

He really couldn't wait to be inside Eren-

 

_ Wait… _

 

“You  _ are _ a bottom, right?”, Levi asked suddenly as he tossed the last of his and Eren's clothes onto the floor before leaning forward to press their cocks together.

 

“Ngh...What's...with that question?”, Eren wondered before bucking his hips a little upwards to meet with Levi's.

 

“We never talked about it”, Levi explained even as he ground their erections together. “Hnn...I just assumed you were a bottom based on what you've said.”

 

Eren let out a sigh but a moan got mixed in as their cocks rubbed against each other.

 

“I’m fine with either but I prefer getting fucked”, he said as he reached up and wrapped his arms behind Levi's neck before pulling him down on top of him so he could whisper in the black haired man’s ear. “I'd also prefer getting fucked right about now.”

 

The dirty words and the low voice made a shudder go through Levi and he let out a groan. Damn, this brat didn't understand the power he had over him. Especially right now.

 

“That's good”, Levi said as he bit onto Eren's ear, making the boy let out a loud, surprised moan. “Because I don't want anything up my ass.”

 

“But I do, so hurry up. I might get bored over here”, Eren teased as he wrapped his legs around Levi's waist.

 

“There’s no alcohol involved and you're still like this. How did this happen?”, Levi teased back with a smirk. They both let out a moan as their erections just barely brushed together when he reached out for the bottle of lube.

 

“I'm drunk on love”, Eren said.

 

Levi rolled his eyes. “Good to know that love works like alcohol for you with the addition of cheesy comments.”

 

Eren snorted before he tried to grab the lube so he could prepare himself but Levi kept it out of reach and shook his head.

 

“I want to do it. I want to get to know your body. Is that okay?”, Levi asked as he stared deep into ocean green.

 

Eren nodded. How could he refuse such a thing when the man was looking so hot and so loving, all at the same time?

 

Levi gave him a small smile as he uncapped the bottle and poured a generous amount of lube onto his fingers before closing the bottle and setting it aside.

 

Eren spread his legs a bit shyly so the older pressed a kiss to his knee as he moved them more apart so he could clearly see what he was doing.

 

The brunet's cheeks flushed with a soft shade of red as Levi eyed him before a cold, wet finger circled his entrance. He let out a soft gasp.

 

“It's cold”, he explained when Levi raised his concerned eyes to the young man.

 

“Sorry”, Levi said as he pressed an apologetic kiss to the inside of Eren's thigh. He rubbed the lube between his fingers for a while to warm it up before trying again.

 

This time it was a more comfortable temperature and Eren nodded to the black haired man to proceed.

 

Levi rubbed at the pucker before slowly inserting the first finger. He looked to Eren, who had closed his eyes. His expression was relaxed and not crunched up in pain so Levi pushed it further in with a slow, steady pace.

 

“You okay?”, he asked once he was in knuckle-deep.

 

Eren hummed as he opened his eyes to look at Levi.

 

“I'm good.”

 

The older man nodded before slowly pulling his finger out a little and back in, continuing the motion until it slid easily in and out. He then poked a second finger inside. He pushed it inside completely before stilling.

 

“Still good?”, he asked, a hint of worry in his voice, as he saw that Eren's jaw was clenched.

 

“A bit uncomfortable. Just...give a moment. It's been awhile…”, Eren said as he tried to relax around the fingers. He felt so embarrassed. He had been so eager for this and yet he was having trouble at just two fingers. When was the last time he had anything inside him? In February?

 

His thoughts were interrupted as a gasp left his lips when Levi decided to try and help the brunet relax by licking a stripe up the other’s erection before wrapping his lips around the head.

 

“Mmhm...Levi”, Eren moaned out approvingly as the other went down on his cock, swallowing it all up before going back up.

 

As the younger continued to moan and whimper as his cock was sucked, Levi started to pump the fingers in and out, opening the fingers up in a scissoring motion once he felt that the brunet had adjusted to the fingers more.

 

He then probed the entrance with a third finger as he lifted his mouth from Eren's erection, the young man letting out a whine.

 

“Is this okay?”, Levi asked as he pushed the tip of his third finger inside. With the lube and stretching, it went in quite easily.

 

“Yeah”, Eren answered, panting slightly as his eyes filled with tears of pleasure and lust.

 

Levi pushed the fingers further in, small whimpers and soft moans escaping Eren's lips until they were all the way in. He was going to wait a little for the brunet to adjust but Eren had other plans as he started to wiggle his hips impatiently.

 

“It's okay. Just move”, Eren mumbled and who was Levi to refuse such a request.

 

He moved his fingers in and out for a few times before starting to probe around the walls, hooking and spreading his fingers.

 

The young man continued to let out soft pleasured noises before a louder moan left his lips as Levi pressed down on his prostate.

 

“T-there”, Eren moaned as he shifted his hips.

 

“Here?”, Levi asked, a smirk slowly forming on his lips as he pressed down on the other’s sweet spot again, gaining him a lovely moan.

 

“Y-yes, right t-there”, the brunet mewled as the older continued to rub the spot. Tears fell from his eyes as he trembled from pleasure before it all disappeared suddenly.

 

He let out a whine that was silenced as Levi pressed their lips together, slipping his tongue into Eren's mouth without hesitation. Their lips moved against each other as their tongues engaged in a dance fuelled by desire and want.

 

Eren hummed into the kiss when he felt Levi's erection rub on his stomach.

 

Once their lips separated, the older man grabbed the packet of condoms on the bed and took one out before ripping the package open. However, before he could place it on his cock, the brunet grabbed it from him.

 

“Let me?”, Eren asked, sitting up, when the other raised an eyebrow at him. “Please.”

 

Levi nodded and watched how Eren gave him a seductive look before he carefully took the condom between his lips and got on all fours in front of him. He was holding in a moan as the brunet placed the rubber on the tip of his hard member before unrolling it with his lips as he descended on Levi's cock until the tip hit the back of Eren's throat.

 

Eren sucked and licked the rubber-covered cock for a while, wetting it with his saliva, before pulling off. He preferred the taste of raw cock to rubber but the thought that he would soon have this cock in him made him ignore that.

 

He laid back on the bed and spread his legs with more confidence than before, now burning with too much desire to be embarrassed about it.

 

Levi was instantly over him, kissing him deeply for a while before pulling back to guide his cock to Eren's wet, stretched entrance. He looked to the brunet for permission before he slowly pushed in, letting out a low, drawn-out moan as his cock was swallowed by that tight heat.

 

He went in slowly, watching and listening for any discomfort in Eren but all he could find was utter pleasure. The expression on the other's face was pure bliss and it only made Levi that much harder and more eager to speed things up as he bottomed up.

 

Eren let out a shuddering sound that was between a gasp and a moan. He felt so full and it was so good with just the cock deep inside him but he wanted more. He wiggled his hips around as he whispered out a soft ‘more’ to get the short man moving.

 

Levi was more than happy to comply, taking a better hold on Eren's hips as he pulled out slowly until just the tip was inside and it took all he had not to slam right back in, already missing that heat and pressure on his cock.

 

He continued to slowly fuck the brunet, thrusting in and pulling out at a steady, unhurried pace. However, it didn’t take long for Eren let out a groan of frustration.

 

“Faster”, he demanded as he bucked his hips backwards, pushing Levi deeper into him and causing them both to moan out at the feeling.

 

“Are you sure?”, Levi asked as he pulled out before giving a slightly harder thrust in, testing the waters.

 

It hit right on the brunet's prostate and he let out a loud moan that the neighbours probably would've heard if the walls hadn't been really well soundproofed.

 

“Yes! I'm sure!”, he assured, nodding frantically as he just wanted to feel that spark of pleasure again. “Fuck me so hard I won't walk straight for a week!”

 

Levi let out an involuntary grunt at those dirty words coming from the young man but he didn't see a reason not to do as Eren wanted.

 

“Then you can't blame me if you're sore tomorrow”, Levi whispered as he pressed a kiss on Eren's neck before quickly pulling back and slamming back in.

 

Eren was crying and moaning as the black haired man hastened his thrusts and soon enough started to nail his prostate on every push. It was pure and utter pleasure and he already felt his release closing in fast.

 

“I-I'm- Ngh! Ahh...I'm c-close”, he moaned out as he reached out to grab Levi's shoulders, running his short nails on the pale skin with enough pressure to leave marks but not breaking the skin.

 

It was such a turn on for Levi, the small tingle of pain and the possessiveness he felt from the brunet and he could feel himself closing in on his orgasm too. He reached between them and took Eren's leaking cock in his hand, pumping it in time with his thrusts and it didn't take long for the brunet to cry out in ecstasy as he came over his own stomach and chest.

 

Levi groaned as he leaned his forehead against Eren's shoulder when the young man clenched around him, taking him over the edge within a few more thrusts.

 

They were both sweaty and panting but blissfully sated. Levi pulled out of the taller sluggishly and took off the condom, tying it and throwing it into the trash, before wrapping his arms around Eren as he laid down beside him.

 

The brunet leaned forward after a moment of calming down and pressed their lips together softly, Levi sighing into the kiss as Eren's hands slid to his hair, fingers massaging his scalp as he ran them through his hair.

 

The cuddling and kissing was nice for a while until the sweat started to cool off on Levi's skin and he reluctantly pulled away from the other with a groan.

 

“We need a bath”, he said.

 

“The sheets are already dirty. It shouldn't matter if we go to sleep like this”, Eren mumbled.

 

“I can't stand going to sleep dirty”, Levi insisted.

 

Eren pouted as he was helped up from the bed, his cheeks gaining color as he stumbled straight into Levi once he stood up. “Sorry.”

 

Levi pressed a quick kiss to his temple before he half-dragged, half-carried the brunet out of the bedroom and into the bathroom, setting him down on the edge of the bathtub before starting to fill the tub. They could’ve just taken a shower but he doubted Eren could stay up. Also despite not wanting to stay in the bed while dirty, he still wanted his after-sex cuddles and a bath worked great for that.

 

Eren was still pouting adorably so Levi pressed a quick kiss onto those pouty lips. However, before he could pull away, the young man wound his arms around his neck and pulled him into a deeper, longer kiss that turned into a short make out session.

 

“I could go for another round”, Eren whispered, his cheeks flushed.

 

It was kind of funny how Eren switched between that adorable, virgin-like boy and a seductive, lusty sexbeast but Levi wasn't complaining as a soft hand enveloped his soft cock, running his fingers over it teasingly to urge it back into hardness. He wanted to grumble bitterly about how well it was working but his mind was too full of Eren right now; touch, taste, scent and vision was all Eren and he couldn't help the low moan he let out.

 

“You really won't be walking straight, if at all, for a few days  _ at least _ after this”, Levi warned as he pulled back from the kiss before he got between Eren's thighs, the brunet wrapping them around his waist on instinct when Levi suddenly grabbed his hips and lifted him up and into the tub.

 

It was fair to say that Eren got more than he bargained for but he wasn't complaining as moans and the splashing of water filled the bathroom.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! Comments and kudos are greatly appreciated as always~!


	30. Pillows And Pancakes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, everyone! I'm back with another chapter! Enjoy~

“Eren, it's time to get up. You'll miss work otherwise”, Levi urged, voice full of amusement, as he watched the brunet laying prone on the bed.

 

Eren let out a groan. “I can’t. My hips are killing me”, he whined.

 

Levi rolled his eyes before sitting down on the edge of the bed. He leaned down to press a few affectionate kisses onto the small of Eren's back while the hand that wasn't propping him up gently massaged the brunet's hips.

 

“You reap what you sow”, he said as he sat up straight again, still continuing to rub the other’s hips and lower back in an effort to soothe the ache. “I admit that I am partly at fault also for listening to you but you can't blame me when you were the one who kept begging for more.”

 

Eren let out another groan as he buried his face into his pillow. Or it was really Levi's pillow since his own was too far away and he didn't want to reach out for it in fear of the sting of pain in his lower half.

 

“Now come on. Get up. I made breakfast”, Levi said as stood up to get clothes for the young man. He wouldn't mind if the brunet was prancing around the apartment with just his underwear but it was a bit chilly in the rest of the apartment even with the heating.

 

Eren turned his head out of the pillow to look at Levi with a pout but he still asked shyly: “What did you make?”

 

“You’ll have to find out for yourself”, Levi said with a smirk as he watched the pout turn into a frown.

 

Eren lifted his head from the pillow to better sniff the air. He could smell something a bit sweet with a hint of a burnt smell.

 

He was slightly concerned as he slowly sat up in bed, stretching his arms over his head with a small hum. It was then that he noticed that Levi was starting at him and he understood why as he remembered that he was completely naked under the covers.

 

Eren's cheek began to burn, the smirk on Levi's face growing. He grabbed the closest pillow,  _ Levi's _ pillow, and threw it at the other man who caught it with ease.

 

The brunet glared at the black haired male as he carefully stood up from the bed, taking the blanket with him to cover him up.

 

Levi rolled his eyes before deciding to exit the room to give the brunet some privacy. It was amusing to think that Eren was covering himself up when he had seen and felt all of the young man last night.

 

He sat at the table, sipping his cup of coffee as he browsed the news from his phone, looking for anything interesting before Eren came out of the bedroom, dressed up but his hair still a mess.

 

Eren walked up to the table with a slight limp and was surprised to see the plate of what looked to be pancakes in the middle. They seemed a bit darker than he would've preferred but the fact that Levi had woken up to make breakfast for them made him warm up inside. He couldn't help the wide, childish grin that rose onto his lips.

 

He rounded the table to stand next to Levi and when the older man raised his eyes to him, the brunet leaned down to press a kiss to his cheek. He flinched slightly as that caused a small sting of pain to shoot up his spine but he did his best to ignore it as he smiled at Levi.

 

“Thank you”, he said.

 

“Whatever”, Levi said dismissively but Eren wasn't affected by it as he could see the telltale signs of Levi's embarrassment despite the short man trying to hide it; his cheeks gaining color and averting his gaze.

 

Eren let out a soft chuckle as he got himself a few pancakes, smearing strawberry jam on them since they didn't have maple syrup. After getting himself a cup of coffee, he noticed that Levi was eating toast instead of the pancakes.

 

“You're not eating them?”, he asked as he sat down on the opposite side of the table.

 

“Too sweet for me as a breakfast”, Levi answered.

 

“Then why did you make pancakes?”, Eren asked, tilting his head slightly.

 

Levi's eyes flickered briefly to him before returning back to read whatever it was on his phone.

 

“Because I know you love sugary things”, the older man answered and Eren couldn't have stopped the bright smile that lit up his face even if he wanted to.

 

“Thanks, Levi. I love you; even more than I love ‘sugary things’”, he said, grinning like a fool as he dug into the food.

 

Levi rolled his eyes at the young man but Eren could see the small smile threatening to overtake his lips.

 

“I love you too”, he said, voice full of affection for the man in front of him. “But now eat before it gets cold.”

 

Eren smiled as he took a bite of the pancakes. They definitely weren't the best ones he had eaten, being slightly burned and flat, but he couldn't remember ever being this happy while eating anything. He was so overwhelmed with emotion that it finally boiled over as tears.

 

“What's wrong?”, Levi asked, panic creeping into his voice once he saw tears slide down tanned cheeks and he was up and next to Eren, cupping his face, before he even realized it. “Did you hurt yourself? The pancakes couldn't have been that bad, right?”

 

Eren shook his head as he briefly wiped at his eyes.

 

“I'm just so happy”, he explained with a small, shaky smile. “I was so hurt to know that you had told Hanji about my secrets but I was so much more afraid that this all- that  _ we _ were over. I was afraid that I would have to go back to living alone with just my thoughts. I don't even remember how I survived that for so long.”

 

There was a pang of pain in Levi's chest as he watched the young man sob. Besides the phone call, they hadn't talked about the incident at all yet so he wasn't surprised that Eren had suppressed feelings from the time spent apart.

 

He wiped at the tears with his thumbs, gently stroking the soft, tanned skin under those beautiful ocean green eyes.

 

“I'm sorry, Eren. I caused you so much pain because of my ignorance”, Levi started. “But you don't need to be afraid. As long as you want me, I won't leave you. I won't let anyone hurt you anymore; not me or even yourself.”

 

Eren sniffled as he nodded with a shaky but sweet smile and Levi couldn't help pecking those trembling lips.

 

“Let's continue eating breakfast before it's too late”, he said softly with a hint of a smile.

 

The brunet nodded as he turned back to the table, Levi ruffling his hair briefly before going back to sit down on the opposite side. However, Eren was only staring down at his half-eaten pancake instead of eating it.

 

“What’s wrong?”, Levi asked as he saw the look on the brunet’s face. It was far too gloomy to be on Eren’s beautiful face, in Levi’s opinion.

 

“I missed my appointment”, the young man said.

 

“Your appointment?”, Levi asked with a raised brow.

 

“The therapy”, Eren mumbled as he poked at the pancake on his plate with his fork.

 

“Eren, it’s alright. We can just reschedule it. It’s no big deal, okay?”, Levi reassured, reaching over the table to place his hand over Eren’s. “And if you don’t feel comfortable calling them, I can do it instead, okay?”

 

Eren nodded, a small smile rising onto his lips. “Okay”, he replied. “But I can call myself. I don’t want to bother you.”

 

“I’ve said it before many times: you’re in no way a bother”, the short man assured firmly, rubbing soothing circles into the back of the brunet’s hand for while before letting go so that they could finish their breakfast.

 

Eren nodded before he resumed eating the darkened pancakes. However, it didn’t last long as his eyes drifted to the clock on the wall.

 

“Wait, why aren't you at work?”, he asked, slightly alarmed to notice that it was quarter to eight already.

 

“I called my boss and asked if I could come in later today. He said ‘yes’”, Levi answered before taking a sip of his now lukewarm coffee. What wouldn't he give to get a fresh cup of Eren's coffee. “I wanted you to be able to rest as much as possible but I didn't want you to wake up alone.”

 

“Please, don't put me before your work, Levi”, Eren said with a small frown on his face. “I know that you will have to work later because of this- because of  _ me _ , and I don't like that.”

 

“Don't worry about it. I did this because I wanted to. We haven't had a meal together in a while after all”, Levi said, averting his gaze and Eren could see the slight pink creeping onto pale cheeks. He couldn't have stopped his smile even if he tried.

 

“You missed me?”, the brunet asked, slightly teasingly but he was actually curious. The little voice in the back of his head needed reassurance.

 

“Of course, I did”, Levi said without a hint of hesitation and it made Eren's smile just that much brighter.

 

“I love you”, the brunet said again, like he was making up for the time he couldn’t say it, before he took another bite of his breakfast.

 

Levi's face softened and a small smile rose onto his lips. “I love you too.”

 

Eren felt like a child that had been praised and rewarded for something they had done. He felt so giddy and warm inside. He had missed this feeling in the past few days.

 

“By the way, I brought your stuff inside. The bag is in the bedroom”, Levi informed.

 

“Oh, thanks.” Yeah, he forgot his bag in Levi's car last night, didn't he? Eren's cheeks started to burn as he remembered what made him forget it and quickly cleared his throat to get rid of the embarrassing thoughts. “I will put them back in their places after work.”

 

The older hummed in acknowledgement. He hoped that he never again came home to find Eren and his stuff gone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading~! Comments and kudos are always appreciated!


	31. Sweet Kisses And Brother

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, everyone! I'm sorry this week's chapter is a bit on the shorter side! >_< I hope you all still enjoy it!

The room was filled with soft panting and the smell of sex as Levi and Eren laid on the bed in post-coital bliss. They had had dinner as usual after Levi came home from work and Eren from his therapy session but afterwards their movie watching on the couch had turned into a make out session before they had ended up on the bed.

 

Eren snuggled closer to Levi, ignoring how sweaty and sticky his skin was from their love making.

 

“We should clean up”, Levi said, starting to feel uncomfortable with the sweat and cum on his skin, but he didn't make a move to get up. He liked cuddling after sex but only after they were clean. Many of his previous partners had complained about his obsession with cleanliness even after sex and maybe that had been one of the reasons why his relationships usually fell apart. But if Eren wanted to cuddle longer, he just had to deal with the uncomfortable feeling. He didn't want to lose the young man because of his obsessive tendencies.

 

Eren hummed. “Can you carry me to the bathroom? I'm too tired”, he said, nuzzling the other’s neck.

 

Levi smiled fondly at the brunet. Of course, Eren wouldn't complain about it. He knew of Levi's preference for cleanliness and accepted it.

 

“You said today was a calm day, how are you suddenly so tired?”, he decided to tease and got a pout and a glare from the younger man.

 

“Let me pound your ass into the mattress and we'll see who's tired”, Eren said.

 

“I think I'll pass”, Levi said as he sat up, stretching his arms over his head.

 

Eren didn't even try to hide the fact that he was ogling his boyfriend. Levi had an amazing body for someone whose job was to sit at a desk all day.

 

Levi noticed the admiring gaze and smirked.

 

“Like what you see?”, he asked teasingly.

 

“Mmhm...Love it”, Eren answered as he laid on his stomach, head leaning on his hand and legs swinging behind him.

 

Levi rolled his eyes but couldn't help how his heart warmed up as he looked at the adorable being in front of him. What did he do to deserve such a cute angel?

 

“Do you really need me to carry you or can you walk to the bathroom?”, he asked as he got up.

 

The brunet crawled up to him and sat up as he wrapped his arms around Levi's shoulders and nuzzled his cheek.

 

“I want you to carry me”, he said with a playful smile and how could Levi ever say ‘no’ to that.

 

He was about to hoist the young man up when Eren's phone suddenly started ringing on the nightstand on the opposite side of the bed.

 

Eren groaned as he let go of the other reluctantly and crawled back to the other side, giving Levi a nice view of his backside. The older couldn't help but briefly fondle Eren's butt, causing the young man to yelp and turn to glare at him half-heartedly.

 

Levi was looking innocent like he had done nothing wrong, which caused Eren to roll his eyes before he reached for his phone and answered it after looking at the caller ID.

 

“Hello”, he greeted.

 

_ “Hi, Eren. How are you?” _ , Zeke's voice asked from the other side of the call.

 

“I'm fine. You?”

 

_ “I'm great.” _

 

Zeke sounded happy so Eren assumed that his proposal was accepted.

 

“So I’m assuming that Pieck is now my sister-in-law?”, he asked with a small smile.

 

_ “Yes. It took a while to find the perfect moment but I'm glad that it turned out fine _ ”, Zeke explained.

 

“Congratulations”, Eren said. “Do you already know when the wedding is going to be?”

 

_ “We have only briefly talked about it but we both agree that we don't want a long engagement” _ , the older man informed.

 

“I see. I'm happy for you two.”

 

_ “But that's enough about me. It's been awhile since we talked. How's your relationship? Any progress?” _ , Zeke asked.

 

Oh right, he hadn't told Zeke that he and Levi were already together. But he didn't know if Levi wanted Eren’s brother to know…

 

“Wait a bit”, he said, covering the speaker and turning to Levi. “It's my brother. He's asking about us. Can I tell him?”

 

“Hm? Of course. I'm fine with it if you are”, Levi said, turning away from his own phone to look at the brunet. He didn't wish to eavesdrop on the conversation between the brothers but he didn't want to go somewhere else to wait for the other to finish his call while he was dirty and naked so he occupied himself with checking his email.

 

Nodding to his boyfriend, Eren turned back to his phone, putting it to his ear.

 

“Zeke?”

 

_ “Yes?” _

 

“I'm dating Levi. Been for a while actually”, Eren said and he was sure his brother could hear the happiness in his voice.

 

_ “Then you better introduce him properly! I have to give him my approval”, _ his brother laughed.  _ “I have to see that my baby brother is in good hands.” _

 

Eren chuckled. “I can assure you that I've never been safer”, he assured, fond eyes drifting to Levi who didn't seem to hear what he said.

 

Zeke hummed.  _ “That's good”, _ he said sincerely.  _ “I won't hold you any longer. Inform me about a good day for the meeting once you have discussed it with your boyfriend, okay?” _

 

“I will”, Eren promised. “Bye then.”

 

_ “Bye.” _

 

With that the call was ended. Eren heaved a tired sigh as he relaxed against the bed, only to jump when he felt a hand caressing his thigh.

 

“You're done?”, Levi asked as he stroked the back of Eren's thigh up and down, sometimes going up to fondle his buttocks.

 

“Yes”, the brunet said, a shiver running down his back at the sensual touch. “Will you stop groping me?”

 

“You don't like it?”

 

“I don't mind it but I thought we were going to shower?”, Eren said, feeling the need to rub his slowly hardening cock against the mattress.

 

“Later”, Levi said as he crawled closer to Eren and pressed a kiss to the small of his back. “There's something else I have in mind right now.”

 

“Hmm? What could be so  _ distracting _ -” Eren wiggled his butt for emphasis. “-that  _ you _ aren't in a hurry to get clean?”

 

“I'm sure you'll find out in a while”, the older said before biting onto a tanned buttcheek, making the other let out a soft, surprised moan.

 

Eren rolled over so he was on his back and beckoned Levi closer with a flirty finger.

 

“My eyes are up here”, he said playfully and Levi couldn't help rolling his eyes as he slid between the brunet's thighs and leaned over him before pressing their foreheads together.

 

“And they're absolutely beautiful”, Levi said before he connected their lips in a soft kiss. “So beautiful.”

 

Eren’s cheeks heated up at the compliment.

 

“So what did your brother say?”, Levi asked suddenly as he started peppering kisses down the young man’s jaw and neck.

 

“Hm? Oh, he said he wanted to meet you”, Eren answered, leaning his head to the side to give the other better access to his neck.

 

“You're on good terms with him?”, Levi asked before sucking on a spot in Eren's neck.

 

The brunet let out a moan and arched his back a little as the sensation went straight to his cock.

 

“Y-yes”, he answered.

 

“Then I want to meet him also”, the black haired man said. “The best time would probably be dinner on Saturday.”

 

“On Saturday and not on Sunday?”, Eren asked. They both had Sundays free after all.

 

“After all that has happened, I want you all to myself for the whole day on Sunday”, Levi answered, biting lightly on Eren's shoulder.

 

Eren felt his core warming up at that and reached out to cup Levi's face to bring their lips together.

 

“Saturday it is then”, he said as they separated. “But that's enough about my brother. I want to concentrate on just us right now.”

 

“I agree”, Levi said as he leaned down to envelope Eren's lips with his own.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! Comments and kudos are greatly appreciated!


	32. "Double Date" And Fishes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, everyone! Sorry, it's again a bit shorter chapter! But I still hope you enjoy~!

“Heeeeey! Levi! Do you have anything on Sunday?”, Hanji asked as they ran towards Levi's desk, almost running into it in their excitement.

 

Levi groaned as he lifted his eyes from the computer screen. It was only an hour into work and he was already being disturbed.

 

“What do you want now?”, he asked, knowing he couldn't ignore Hanji.

 

“Are you free on Sunday?”, they repeated as they leaned on his desk.

 

Levi pushed the brunette off his desk, glaring at them.

 

“No, I'm not”, he answered.

 

“What are you going to do?”, Hanji asked, not at all swayed.

 

“I'm spending time with Eren-”

 

“A date? Good! That's perfect!”, they exclaimed excitedly. “Let's go on a double date!”

 

“What the- Wait… You're _ dating _ someone?”, Levi asked incredulously.

 

“No, but Erwin and I want to talk to him properly”, Hanji said enthusiastically before turning a bit sheepish. “And I want to apologize to him for what happened.”

 

Levi sighed. “You have nothing to apologize for. I was the one who told you. You just let him know about it”, he said.

 

“You're...right, I guess”, Hanji said, a bit dejected before their usual enthusiastic demeanour came back. “But doesn't change the fact that I still want to get to know him better! Also he should be allowed the chance to get to know the people that know about his problems!”

 

Levi had to say that Hanji was right. Eren had the right to know the people who knew about his secrets. He let out another sigh as he nodded.

 

“Wohoo! I will tell Erwin-”

 

“Count us in too!”, Petra suddenly piped in, walking up to Levi's desk with Oluo, Eld and Gunther following her. “We want to get to know him too.”

 

Levi groaned and ran a hand through his hair.

 

“I don't want to overwhelm him”, he said. “Besides, I haven't even asked him if it was okay.”

 

“Oh, right, you're going on a date”, Hanji remembered. “Where are you going?”

 

“It's not a date. We're just staying at home”, the short man replied.

 

“Well, we have to change that!”, Petra said excitedly, her eyes sparkling. “Where do you usually go to?”

 

“We-” Wait. Where  _ have _ they gone out on dates?  _ Nowhere _ . They have eaten out but those were before they started dating. “We haven't”, Levi answered honestly with a frown.

 

“You haven't gone out on a date? Not even once?”, Petra asked, clearly confused.

 

“But haven't you been together for a while now already?”, Eld said.

 

“Well, it's Levi. What did we expect?”, Hanji teased, gaining a glare from the short man.

 

“Shut up, four eyes! It just hasn't been the first thing on my mind”, Levi said before sighing. “Besides, I haven't gone out on a proper date with anyone since college so I forgot.”

 

“Then this Sunday we're all going out!”, Hanji exclaimed. “And don't worry. We'll give you two some privacy after we have successfully befriended your lover!”

 

Levi rolled his eyes. “I still haven't even asked Eren if it was alright.”

 

“Well, if it doesn't happen this week, we have our plans ready for the next one”, Gunther said.

 

“Right!”, the brunette agreed. “But does anyone have any date ideas?”

 

“There's this new aquarium a short drive away. I went there with my girlfriend on the opening day a month ago and it was beautiful”, Eld suggested.

 

“Ooh! Does Eren like fishes?”, Hanji asked the short man.

 

“How should I know?”

 

“You're his boyfriend!”

 

“But that's not a thing that comes up in normal conversations”, Levi said.

 

Hanji pouted. “Maybe not it yours”, they mumbled, causing Levi to roll his eyes.

 

Before they could discuss the topic further, Erwin’s voice sounded from behind them.

 

“You're still at work. Time to disperse the gossip ring”, he said.

 

“Yes, sir”, they all said before scattering to go back to their work, except for Hanji.

 

“You're coming too!”, they said.

 

“To where?”, the blond asked.

 

“To Levi's date!”

 

“To...Levi’s date?”, Erwin repeated with a raised brow.

 

“Yes! To meet Eren!”

 

Levi sighed and went back to work, ignoring the two.

 

* * *

 

“Eren, do you like fishes?”, Levi asked suddenly. They were currently sitting on the couch and watching some nature documentary with Levi's arm hanging leisurely around Eren's shoulders.

 

“Fishes?”, Eren asked as he turned to look at the other with confusion.

 

“Yes. Fishes.”

 

When Levi didn't explain it further, Eren's brow furrowed.

 

“I do”, he answered slowly, trying to figure out where the short man was going with this. “That's a weird question though.”

 

Levi sighed. “My friends want to meet you properly and suggested that we all went to the aquarium together”, he explained.

 

That got Eren’s full attention, his eyes brightening.

 

“To an aquarium?”

 

Levi nodded.

 

“When?”

 

“On Sunday.”

 

“Then let's go”, the brunet said excitedly, his eyes sparkling.

 

Levi was slightly saddened that Eren would rather go see some fishes with a group than spend time with just Levi but that sadness was swept away as he saw how happy the mention of the trip made the brunet.

 

“Sure”, he replied. “But I will say that the people that want to meet you are all of those who know about your…” Levi trailed off. He couldn't find the right word but thankfully Eren understood him.

 

The brunet looked less enthusiastic about the date now. Levi was about to say that the two of them could just go alone. He's sure his friends would understand. However, before he could say anything, Eren spoke up.

 

“I want to meet them too. I want to meet the people that you hold dear”, he said with a small, fond smile.

 

Levi couldn't help the slight upwards curl of his lips.

 

“I will tell them that it's okay then”, he said as he pulled the brunet closer to him, kissing him on the cheek. “Though, we have to survive your brother first.”

 

Eren let out a soft giggle. “I'm sure it will be fine. He can be a bit protective but once he sees how happy you make me, I doubt he has any complaints”, he said, leaning his head on Levi's shoulder.

 

The older hummed. He knew next to nothing about Eren's brother but based on what he had heard from the brunet, the man seemed like a good brother, at least, if not a good person in general.

 

“Let's hope so”, Levi said as he pressed a kiss to the top of Eren's head.

 

He really hoped to make a good impression on the brunet's brother. He realized with growing anxiety that he was meeting Eren's family for the first time. It was only his brother but it was the closest family that Eren had so it would probably be equivalent to meeting with his parents.

 

However, he had to remind himself that he wasn't there to ask for Eren's hand in marriage or anything. At least, not yet nor probably anywhere in the near future. Levi wasn't anywhere near ready for such and Eren was still so young.

 

A hint of dread crept up Levi's spine as he thought about their age difference. 10 years might've been still fine but  _ 15 years _ was stretching it too far. Even he knew that but he couldn't help but love the young man that was sitting next to him, leaning against his shoulder.

 

A smile rose onto his lips as Eren shifted closer to him.

 

No, if Eren was happy with him, it would be alright, just like the brunet said. They weren't doing anything bad or illegal. It would be fine.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! Comments and kudos are always nice! I may not reply to most comments but I read them all so thank you for all the nice comments so far!


	33. Dinner Reservation And Meeting The Brother

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, everyone! I'm here with a new chapter!
> 
> Also yes, Pieck is Zeke's fiancée here. When I asked if Yelena or Pieck would be better, I only got Pieck as an answer so there's that. Also this was written far before the lastest chapter of the manga so yeah...
> 
> Aaaanyway, enjoy~

Saturday came faster than Levi wanted. He had woken up early to figure out what to wear to make a good first impression.

 

Eren said they would go out for dinner with his brother, Zeke, and his fiancée, Pieck.

 

It wouldn't be a super fancy restaurant but it was fancy enough that just casual wear was out of the question. Would business casual be good? Or would something a little more formal be better?

 

He had been standing in front of his wardrobe for half an hour already and he didn't know if he could decide at all before the time came. Sure, he would still probably have some time after work to decide but he wanted to have that time to freshen up before the dinner.

 

A soft chuckle drew his attention away from his clothes to the bed where Eren was laying, his head propped up on his hands.

 

Levi frowned. “What are you laughing at?”

 

“You don't need to fret so much about it. It's just my brother”, Eren reassured with a smile.

 

“Yes, but he's still your family. Wouldn't you want to make a good first impression on my family also?”, Levi asked as he turned back to his wardrobe.

 

Eren hummed. “I would”, he said as he stood up and walked to the short man to wrap his arms around him, leaning his forehead on Levi's shoulder.

 

“Then you should understand my anxiety”, the older said as he placed his hands on Eren's.

 

“I do, but trust me, Zeke won't be a problem”, the brunet said as he kissed Levi on the cheek. “And even if he doesn’t like you, that would change nothing. I wouldn't break up with you just because he doesn't like you because  _ I  _ like you and that’s all that really matters.”

 

Levi felt the sincerity in those words fill him with warmth. He turned around in Eren's embrace to kiss the brunet. It was a short but sweet kiss.

 

“Just a dress shirt and some chinos will be fine. I doubt he's dressed any fancier and neither will I be”, Eren said as he eyed Levi's wardrobe. Or it was  _ their _ wardrobe now.

 

Eren had seen inside it many times but it still bemused him how colorless Levi’s clothes were. It was mostly just blacks and greys with some whites and browns mixed in. He had only ever seen one colorful piece of clothing amongst the short man's clothes and it had been an oversized, colorful sweater that Hanji had given Levi as a Christmas present last year apparently. Since Eren had liked the sweater, Levi was more than happy to give it to him, depriving his clothes of the last speck of color. Eren ought to change that some day…

 

Levi took Eren’s advice and took out his black chinos, a white dress shirt and a dark gray blazer while the brunet went to make the bed. He considered a tie but Eren quickly shot down the idea, saying that it was just his brother and not the prime minister or president.

 

He laid the clothes out on the bed while Eren went to prepare their breakfast. However, the young man came back after about 5 minutes to find Levi staring down at the clothes with a contemplating look.

 

“The outfit is fine. Let's just eat breakfast now, okay?”, Eren said around a yawn.

 

The short man hummed as he turned away from the bed and the clothes laid out on it and took Eren's hand when he passed the brunet. It was just a few steps from the bedroom to the kitchen but Levi cherished the feel of Eren's hand in his as they walked.

 

He noticed the tortillas and small bowls with different ingredients like diced vegetables, cheese and whatnot and could guess what they were having for breakfast.

 

They ate together before Levi had to leave for work. He kissed Eren once the brunet handed him his bag by the door when he had finished putting on his shoes.

 

“I'll come by the coffee shop at lunch”, Levi said when they separated. It's not like he needed to say that; he had been doing that for long enough for Eren to expect the short man.

 

The brunet still nodded with a small smile as he pressed a soft kiss onto Levi’s cheek.

 

“Be safe and have good day”, Eren said.

 

Levi hummed happily as he reached out to briefly caress Eren's cheek, the young man leaning into the touch, before he forced himself to take a step back. “Back at you.” He glanced at his watch, clicking his tongue. “I will be back before six.”

 

After exchanging soft ‘see you later's, Levi left.

 

As usual, Eren still had time before opening the shop so went to get his clothes sorted out for the dinner tonight with Zeke. He went with a white dress shirt and a matching set of navy chinos and a blazer.

 

He laid the clothes out on the bed next to Levi's and frowned. He barely ever needed to use any of his little more formal clothes, preferring t-shirts and jeans, so having been pushed back and under all of his other clothes, they were really wrinkly. Especially, if you compared his wrinkly ass clothing to Levi's pristine clothes.

 

Eren took a look at the clock. He still had time so he might as well iron his clothes…

 

* * *

 

_ Fucking shitty ass nipplesuckers. Can't do anything right!, _ Levi cursed in his head as he kept typing furiously on his computer.

 

Of course, someone had fucked up an order today of all days and of course,  _ he _ had to be the one to set it right since Erwin was busy and Levi was the only one available that he trusted to fix it. Although, he wasn't really available right now as he had places to be but there was nothing he could do about this. It needed to be settled as soon as possible.

 

Levi sighed as he looked at the time briefly. It was half past six already. He had called Eren as soon as he had heard that he was going to do some overtime. The dinner was supposed to be at seven in a small restaurant a five-minute drive away from their apartment but with things the way they were now, it seemed like they would have to postpone it a little. However, the restaurant had reservations so postponing it might not really be a possibility.

 

“Shit”, Levi cursed under his breath as he once again looked at the time.

 

18:45. There was no way he would make it in time for the dinner…

 

* * *

 

It was almost half past seven when Levi was finally finished and he quickly ran home, changed and made sure everything was in order before leaving.

 

Since it was a reservation, Eren had gone there ahead of him, getting picked up by his brother.

 

Levi parked his car, once again made sure that he looked decent, before he exited the car and went into the restaurant. He was led to the table where he saw Eren with two unfamiliar people. The other was a dark haired woman that had a laid-back, chill vibe to her while the other, which he assumed must've been Eren's brother even though they looked nothing alike, was a blond, bearded man. One look at the man and Levi already knew that they wouldn't get along. He had that annoying air to him.

 

“Sorry, I'm late”, Levi apologized as he was close enough, sitting down next to Eren. “I'm Levi. It's nice to meet you.”

 

The polite words and tone sounded weird to his ears but he couldn't help it. He was meeting Eren's family. Of course he wanted to make a good first impression. However, it seemed like he had already messed that up as Eren's brother was glaring at him.

 

“I'm Pieck and this here is my fiancé, Zeke”, the woman, Pieck, introduced with a lazy smile. “Nice to meet you.”

 

“You are late”, Zeke started, glaring at Levi, who was doing his best to keep his face neutral.

 

“I apologize for the wait”, Levi replied.

 

The blond narrowed his eyes at him. “You were  _ half an hour _ late. Are you sure you're good enough for Eren? Because I doubt it, midget.”

 

Levi's eye twitched but before he could snap at Zeke, Eren intervened.

 

“I told you he had work. It couldn't be helped”, the brunet said with a disapproving frown.

 

“He put his work before you”, Zeke reasoned. “He's obviously not the type of person that you should date, Eren. You need someone who will actually treasure you!”

 

“He does!”, Eren yelled as he quickly stood up, slamming his hands on the table. He ignored the looks he got from other people. “You have no idea how much he has done for me! If it wasn't for Levi, I might not even be here today!”

 

“What is that supposed to mean?”, the blond asked with a furrowed brow.

 

Eren froze for a moment as he realized he might’ve let more slip than he wanted.

 

“I-I just…”

 

“He almost got hit by a car”, Levi said with a blank expression. When Eren turned to look at him with wide eyes, there was a certain glint in the short man's eyes that made Eren relax as he realized what the other was doing. It was a lie but the brunet just didn't want his brother of all people to know about his suicidal thoughts.

 

“You almost- Why haven't you told me earlier!? When did this happen!?”, Zeke demanded to know.

 

“Umm...over a month ago...”, Eren said hesitantly before a small smile rose onto his lips as he was reminded of what really happened that day and how his life had changed for the better since. “We met that day. He pulled me back just in time and saved me. I don't know what I'd do without him.”

 

What Eren said was true. Levi had pulled him back from his darkness just in time. He had been in the right place at the right time with the right words and Eren would eternally be grateful for that.

 

Levi felt touched by the words and the sincerity behind them. He could feel his heart beat faster and all he wanted to do was embrace and kiss the brunet. However, he refrained as he had a feeling that Eren’s brother wouldn’t appreciate that when it already seemed like the man hated him.

 

Zeke was silent as he took in the words and the fond expression on his brother’s face. Even he could tell that Eren was head over heels in love with Levi.

 

“To make this clear: I do not accept or approve of you dating Eren”, Zeke started, looking at Levi. “ _ But _ I have to thank you for saving my brother.”

 

Levi could only nod at that in acknowledgement. It wasn't quite what he wanted but it was enough for now.

 

The rest of the dinner went by in a less eventful manner. Zeke kept poking fun at Levi, especially at his height, at every possible chance he got. Levi eventually snapped, dropping the ‘well-behaved and patient boyfriend’-act and it only got worse from there as they kept throwing insults at each other. It was amusing at first but after almost half an hour of that, Eren got tired of it and told them to shut the fuck up and behave. After that the two older men settled down. Pieck seemed indifferent to it all throughout the whole dinner.

 

“Jesus Christ”, Levi sighed as they finally got into his car.

 

“You don’t say”, Eren said as he buckled his seatbelt. “That went great.”

 

Levi groaned and rubbed at his eyes. “Sorry.”

 

The brunet hummed. “It’s okay. At least he didn’t threaten to break us off or something like that even after everything you two said to each other so I think he knows that you make me happy”, he said.

 

“Well, at least next time I don’t have to worry about pretending to be the perfect boyfriend in front of him”, Levi sighed once again as he started up the car and began to drive back home.

 

“You don’t even have to pretend because to me, you already are the perfect boyfriend”, Eren said with a smug grin.

 

Levi briefly glanced at him before rolling his eyes, a small smile tugging at his lips.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading~ Comments and kudos are always appreciated and keep me motivated to write more!


	34. Aquarium And An Unexpected Meeting

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, everyone! I'm a bit later than usual with this one. I was just so busy with some stuff that I needed to do to apply for university that I didn't have time or energy to update sooner but now all that's done so I will have time to just chill and write.
> 
> Also another thing: The next few chapters are going to be about the same day. I had a lot to write about it but I didn't feel like updating a chapter with like over 10k words so I'm splitting it into a few (but still quite massive) parts.
> 
> Anyway, enjoy~

On Sunday morning, Levi really didn't feel like getting up. Not because he was too tired but because he was too relaxed and calm and happy and oh god, did Eren look cute.

 

Levi was laying on his back with the brunet's head on his chest and one arm thrown over the his stomach while the short man ran his fingers through that brown mess on Eren's head.

 

It was all so peaceful that Levi really didn't feel like moving at all. It was their day off anyway so they could laze in bed until they needed to get ready for their ‘date’. It wasn't really a date, though, since Levi's friends would also be there.

 

Eren stirred slowly after a while, blinking his bleary eyes at Levi and it was one of the cutest things that Levi had ever seen.

 

“‘Morning”, Eren drawled out with a yawn.

 

“Cute”, Levi said under his breath with a fond smile. “Good morning, sleepyhead.”

 

The brunet rubbed at his eyes as he lifted his head up slowly from on top of his boyfriend’s chest before leaning over to press a quick kiss to Levi's lips.

 

“Ugh, morning breath”, the older man groaned afterwards.

 

“You haven't had an issue with that before so don't start now!”, Eren said with a soft giggle as a sleepy grin rose onto his lips.

 

“Maybe I've just been too lovestruck to notice it”, Levi said as he looked at the grinning brunet and despite his issue with morning breath, he couldn't help but want to properly kiss Eren. So that's what he did, reaching out to tangle his fingers in those brown locks of hair to bring the brunet closer so he could press their lips together in a longer, more passionate kiss.

 

“I still am utterly lovestruck, aren't I?”, Levi mumbled once they parted.

 

“That makes two of us”, Eren said happily as he leaned their foreheads together, grinning from ear to ear with his cheeks lightly dusted with pink.

 

“You're irresistible”, Levi said as he was about to bring their lips together once again before his phone suddenly started ringing, startling them both a little and breaking the soft bubble around them.

 

The short man groaned as he sat up to take his phone from his nightstand. He saw Hanji's name flashing on the screen and just wanted to throw the device against the wall and continue where they left off with his boyfriend.

 

However, Eren was already stretching and getting up from the bed, ready to go make something to eat so Levi just answered the call reluctantly.

 

_ “LEVI, I'M HERE! OPEN THE DOOR!”, _ Hanji shouted into the phone in excitement, causing Levi to pull the phone away from his ear so he wouldn't lose his hearing. He could faintly hear the voice from his front door also...

 

“Why are you  _ here _ ? It's only  _ 10 _ and we were supposed to meet up  _ by the aquarium _ at  _ 12” _ , Levi asked, rubbing at his temples.

 

_ “I just want to talk to you and your cutie a bit before then”, _ Hanji explained, their voice lower and more serious now.

 

Levi could guess what they wanted to say. They came all the way over here for it so he might as well let them in to do their business…

 

“Wait a bit. I'll open the door in just a moment”, he said before ending the call.

 

He put on the first clothes he found which happened to be a black sweater and dark grey jeans before walking out of the bedroom to see Eren working in the kitchen in just his pyjamas as usual.

 

“Hanji is outside the door”, Levi informed as he walked to the kitchen to get a better look at what the other was making. He was mixing something in a bowl that Levi guessed included milk and eggs as he saw the eggshells and the milk carton on the counter next to the brunet.

 

“Hm? Here?”, Eren asked, confused as he stopped his mixing.

 

Levi just shrugged before turning to go open the door to his eccentric friend.

 

“Good morning, Levi!”, Hanji greeted loudly and Levi almost just slammed the door shut in their face. It was too early for that kind of loud excitement.

 

With a resigned sigh, he stepped to the side to let the brunette in. However, when Hanji was about to beeline straight into the apartment without stopping, Levi grabbed hold of the hood of their jacket and pulled them back.

 

“What the fuck do you think you're doing, shitty four-eyes?”, he basically growled disapprovingly. “You've been here enough times to know the rules.”

 

Hanji just pouted as they took off their shoes and jacket before Levi let them step further into the apartment.

 

Continuing with their earlier objective, they headed for the kitchen where they could hear some noise coming from. After all, there was only one person that could be there.

 

“Eren!”, Hanji exclaimed and wrapped their arms around the brunet.

 

Eren was glad that he wasn't mixing anymore so he would spill anything on the floor as he was startled by the sound and the arms that were suddenly squeezing him.

 

“Eh? Ah...G-good morning, Hanji?”, he greeted awkwardly.

 

“Hey! Hanji! Off of him!”, Levi ordered before he went to get the leech off of his boyfriend.

 

“I was just saying ‘hi’ to him! No need to get so jealous!”, the brunette said with a teasing, knowing smirk that irritated the short man.

 

“You-”

 

“Umm...Hanji, have you had breakfast yet?”, Eren intervened before the tension in the room went up more. Levi was already glaring daggers at the other and it could only go worse from there.

 

“I haven't actually”, Hanji said, their eyes brightening as they looked to Eren. “Are you inviting me to have breakfast with you two lovebirds?”

 

“I mean, you're already here and we're about to have breakfast so you might as well join us?”, Eren said a bit questioningly as he glanced towards Levi for approval.

 

The short man just sighed and rubbed at his temples. How could he say ‘no’ to Eren? He simply couldn't.

 

“Fine, they can stay”, Levi said.

 

Hanji squealed in delight, enveloping the short man in a hug.

 

“I always knew you couldn't turn me down!”, they exclaimed.

 

“Fuck off!”, Levi shouted as he pushed the pest away from him. “And if it was up to me, I would've kicked you out right away.”

 

“You don't have to be shy, Levi!”

 

For a short moment, Eren just watched fondly from the side as the two of them argued before he turned back to making breakfast, this time for three, with a smile on his face.

 

It was as he was finishing up that he interrupted them.

 

“Levi, can you set the table?”, he asked.

 

Levi huffed at what Hanji had said before nodding to Eren and going to set the table, unfortunately, for three.

 

“French toast and bacon?”, Hanji asked, a bit confused, as they looked at what Eren was making.

 

“Yes, I hope that's fine?”, Eren asked.

 

“Yes, yes, of course!”, the brunette assured. “It's just weird to imagine Levi eating something like that. I'm so used to him just having readymade meals.” They smiled fondly at Eren. “He's lucky to have you.”

 

“No, I'm the lucky one”, Eren said, smiling softly. “He's too good for me.”

 

“You're perfect for each other”, Hanji corrected.

 

“The table is set”, Levi informed as he walked into the kitchen a moment later.

 

Eren blushed. Had Levi heard them? He hoped not because he had sounded so embarrassingly sappy.

 

“The food is also ready”, the young man said, avoiding eye contact with Levi. “Can you two carry the plates and the maple syrup to the table? I will bring the drinks. Hanji, what will you have?”

 

“Coffee with milk and sugar, please!”, Hanji answered as they grabbed two of the plates of delicious smelling food and went to take them to the table.

 

Levi stood there in silence for a short moment before he took the last plate and the maple syrup bottle.

 

“ _ You're _ too good for  _ me” _ , Levi said quietly before leaving the kitchen.

 

Eren could feel his face burning. Of course, Levi had heard!

 

He poured three cups of coffee, adding milk and sugar to two, before he followed the other two out of the kitchen and to the table.

 

“Here”, Eren said as he set the cups down before sitting down with the two of them.

 

He sat opposite of Levi as usual with Hanji next to him. He watched as the brunette took a sip of their coffee.

 

“Is it okay?”, he asked.

 

“Mhmm! It's perfect!”, Hanji assured with a wide grin that made Eren smile.

 

Eren and Hanji chatted away during breakfast and Levi was more than happy to just listen, giving a few words here and there, grumbling to Hanji about talking with their mouth full every once in a while.

 

It was when they were almost finished that Hanji turned serious, the happy-go-lucky expression disappearing from their face.

 

“I...I wanted to apologize...to the both of you”, Hanji started.

 

“You don't have to”, Eren assured quickly. “It's all good now.”

 

“And it wasn't even your fault in the first place”, Levi said.

 

“But I-”

 

“It's fine already”, Eren interrupted. “Things happened but Levi and I talked and made up so you really don't need to apologize anymore. We still have a few things to work out but it’s nothing for you to worry about.”

 

Hanji stared at the brunet for a moment before a smile crept back onto their lips.

 

“You two really suit each other”, they said, almost fondly, causing Eren to blush a little even as he smiled back at them.

 

“Of course”, Levi commented but he also had a light dusting of pink on his cheeks that he tried to hide by taking a sip of his coffee.

 

“Aww~ Levi, are you blushing?”, Hanji teased.

 

Levi glared at the brunette. “Shut up.”

 

Eren couldn't help but laugh.

 

* * *

 

The three of them rode in Levi's car to the aquarium with Hanji and Eren in the backseat, singing to whatever came out of the radio.

 

Levi rolled his eyes. It was like he was taking his kids to the aquarium instead of his friend and boyfriend. Even so he couldn't help the warm feeling in his chest as he saw Eren smiling brightly from the rear-view mirror.

 

They arrived in front of the aquarium soon enough and he could already see Erwin, Petra and Oluo there. So they were still missing Gunther and Eld.

 

“Erwin! Petra! Oluo!”, Hanji greeted loudly as soon as they were out of the car, waving at the trio as the brunette bounced towards them.

 

Levi could only sigh as he got out of the car, Eren chuckling beside him, before he locked the car.

 

As they walked closer to the group, Eren noticed how all eyes looked him up and down, observing him. He felt uncomfortable with the scrutiny but tried not to let it show. However, that didn’t escape Levi’s notice as he took his hand, lacing their fingers together and giving his hand a small squeeze.

 

“Hi, so you must be Eren, right?”, Petra said as she offered a hand for a shake. “I'm Petra. It's nice to meet you. Levi has told us a lot about you.”

 

_ I know _ , Eren wanted to say but decided not to. Instead he smiled as he accepted the handshake.

 

“It's nice to meet you, Ms. Petra”, Eren replied.

 

“Oh, stop it. Just Petra is fine”, the redhead assured with a friendly smile. She seemed nice, Eren thought.

 

“It's good to meet you, Eren. I'm Erwin Smith”, Erwin introduced himself as he offered his hand to the brunet.

 

“Likewise, Mr. Smith…?”, Eren said hesitantly as he shook the hand. He really didn't know how to address Levi's friends. They were all older than him. Petra said that just her first name was fine but he shouldn't assume that everyone else was fine with it also.

 

Erwin shook his head and was about to correct Eren before Levi intervened.

 

“You don't need to be so polite with them, Eren. They're just my friends, not the fucking president”, the short man said.

 

“I had held hope that love would've made you swear less”, Erwin said with a chuckle before turning back to the brunet. “And Levi is right: You don't have to be so polite with us. Just Erwin is fine.”

 

Eren nodded his understanding before turning to look at Oluo, who kept frowning as he looked at the young man.

 

“Uh...It's nice to meet you too…?”, Eren said, offering his hand for a shake. Did this man already hate him?

 

“Oluo” was all that Oluo said as he briefly shook the brunet's hand.

 

Hanji let out a snort while Petra was trying hard not to laugh, her shoulders shaking with the effort.

 

“What are you two laughing at!?”, the light brown haired man snapped.

 

Hanji and Petra couldn't hold it anymore, they both burst into laughter.

 

“It's so bad!”, Hanji exclaimed through laughter, holding their stomach.

 

Erwin's lips twitched up a little while Levi just shook his head.

 

Eren was utterly confused and Petra saw it as she came to whisper into his ear.

 

“Oluo admires Levi so much that he's trying to imitate him”, she explained, giggling a little.

 

“Oh.” Now the man's behavior made more sense. “So he doesn't hate me?”

 

“No, don't worry”, Petra reassured.

 

“What's going on here?”

 

All of them turned around to see Eld and Gunther walking towards them.

 

“Just Oluo”, Petra explained and it seemed to be enough of an explanation for the two men.

 

“Oh, you're Eren, right?”, Eld asked as he focused on the brunet. “I'm Eld Jinn. Nice to meet you.”

 

“Likewise...umm…” These two weren't here when they talked about not having to be polite so what should he do?

 

“Just Eld is fine”, the blond assured as they shook hands.

 

“Gunther Schultz”, the black haired man said as he offered his hand. “Nice to meet you, Eren.”

 

“Likewise...uh...Gunther?”, the brunet said, questioningly.

 

Gunther nodded his approval so Eren relaxed a little. They all seemed like nice people. A bit weird maybe but nice nonetheless.

 

“Now, are we just going to stand out here in the cold or actually go look at some fishes?”, Levi grumbled as he fiddled with the scarf around his neck. He was freezing just standing out here…

 

“Oh! Grumpy is right!”, Hanji exclaimed, receiving a glare from Levi, before they suddenly grabbed onto an unsuspecting Eren's wrist. “Let's go, Eren!”

 

“Hanji, wait-!”

 

Eren couldn't get a word in before the brunette took off, pulling him along. Despite not looking very strong, Hanji sure had the strength to drag him along, or maybe Eren just really needed to start working on his body…

 

“Oi, you bastard!”, Levi shouted before he ran after them.

 

Petra, Oluo, Eld and Gunther smiled as they watched their superior running after the duo. Erwin could only sigh and shake his head.

 

* * *

 

“C'mon, Levi, don't be like that!”, Hanji whined as Levi made sure that they stayed away from Eren, or at least tried to. It was hard with the young man running around the place like a little kid, wanting to see everything as quickly as possible.

 

“Fuck you”, Levi said to the brunette. “Your own fault for trying to drag him off.”

 

“Aww~ No need to be jealous. I can see that Eren is loyal”, Hanji teased and successfully managed to avoid Levi's kick.

 

The short man sighed before turning back to look at Eren. His face immediately softened.

 

Eren looked so young and happy, his bright ocean green eyes almost sparkling as he looked at all of the sea life. Yeah, it was definitely a great idea to bring the brunet here.

 

“Slow down, Eren”, Levi called out once he saw that Eren was once again about to bounce to the next tank. “We're in no hurry.”

 

“And the old farts are having trouble keeping up!”, Hanji yelled, pointing to Levi and Erwin.

 

Eren looked back at them and blushed slightly as he scratched at the back of his head awkwardly.

 

“Sorry, I got too excited. I just love the sea and the ocean”, he admitted.

 

Levi hummed softly. That was something he hadn't heard before.

 

“Oh? What makes you love it?”, Petra asked curiously.

 

“It's beautiful and so... _ mysterious _ ”, Eren explained. “It's so close and familiar to us and yet we barely know anything about it and the mysteries it holds.” Eren's eyes turned nostalgic then. “And it's one of the very few places where I only have good memories from.”

 

They all were silent after that information and he realized that he had fucked up…

 

“Sorry, I ruined the mood”, Eren apologized, guilt and anxiety weighing heavily on his chest.

 

“No, you didn't”, Levi assured as he took hold of the brunet's hand, intertwining their fingers.

 

“We wanted to get to know you better and that includes the sad stuff also!”, Hanji reassured with a huge grin.

 

Eren smiled at them but the heaviness in his chest remained.

 

They all talked among themselves, everyone mostly just asking Eren questions, as they circled around the aquarium.

 

“Then, Eren, when is your birthday?”, Petra asked.

 

“30th of March”, Eren answered.

 

“Oh, I didn't know that”, Levi murmured with a small frown.

 

Everyone’s eyes immediately snapped to him and they were looking at him like he had grown a second head.

 

“You are dating and you didn't even know his birthday!?”, Hanji exclaimed.

 

“Shouldn't that be one of the first things that you learn about your significant other?”, Eld asked with a furrowed brow.

 

“Oh, I don't know Levi's birthday either”, Eren mumbled, more to himself than anyone else but everyone still heard him.

 

“What!?”, Hanji shrieked, getting a few confused looks from other visitors.

 

“I expected that from Levi but you too, huh, Eren?”, Erwin said, shaking his head as if in disbelief.

 

“And what do you mean by that?”, Levi asked, glaring at the blond.

 

“I mean no offence but you aren't the most socially knowledgeable person”, Eld said with a smile, causing Levi's glare to shift onto him.

 

“Hey, Levi, you know that's true”, Hanji said before turning to Eren. “But Levi’s birthday is on the 25th of December.”

 

“Eh?” Eren’s widened before he turned to look at Levi. “Wait, so...you will be 35, right? Then the age gap is 16 years and not 15?”

 

“Oh, you're right”, Levi realized with a small frown before shaking his head. “But that won't change a thing.”

 

“One year here or there. Who cares?”, Hanji piped in with a shrug.

 

Eren nodded. “I just always thought that Levi was a summer child”, he said thoughtfully.

 

Hanji burst into laughter.

 

“Levi? A summer child?”, they said through laughter. “How did you come to that conclusion?”

 

“Um...It's just that he's so warm and caring”, the brunet answered, looking at the ground to hide his blush as he squeezed Levi's hand slightly.

 

Levi felt touched by the words but Hanji's loud cackling kind of ruined the moment.

 

“Do we know the same person?”, the brunette teased. “Levi is cold as ice! He always kicks me off his floor and forces me back to work!”

 

“Oh, I make you do the things that you  _ should _ do? I wonder why that is?”, Levi said sarcastically, rolling his eyes.

 

“I've actually started to consider if moving Hanji to the same floor would fix this”, Erwin said with a sigh. “I'm starting to feel bad for Moblit.”

 

“Moblit?”, Eren asked.

 

“Hanji's caregiver”, Levi answered with a blank face. “Or a babysitter.”

 

“See, Eren!? Cold! As! Ice!”, the brunette said, clapping their hands between the words to emphasize their point. A smirk rose onto their lips afterwards. “And I'm not the one in need of a caregiver, old man! You and Erwin better start looking for people soon!”

 

Erwin could once again only sigh as Levi and Hanji continued to bicker.

 

Eren smiled as he looked at them but he could feel a tinge of jealousy in his chest even as he tried to will it away. It wasn't like he was worried that Hanji would steal Levi away or something like that. He was jealous of their friendship. He had friends that he was close with, but since most of them went to college, their interactions grew less and less frequent. He missed that feeling of closeness.

 

Sure, he got that and much more from Levi but having his social life revolve around only one person basically wasn't good and even he knew that. Maybe he should call Armin and Mikasa sometime soon. But he didn’t want to bother them as he knew they were busy.

 

They were over halfway through the aquarium when things suddenly went south.

 

Hanji, as promised, gave the couple their privacy, ushering the group further ahead while Levi and Eren stayed at a tunnel that went through one of the tanks. They were sitting on a bench there, hand-in-hand, with Eren's head on Levi's shoulder as they watched sharks and schools of fish swimming around them.

 

It was peaceful and they were both content with just sitting there quietly, marveling at the aquatic life. However, that moment of tranquility was soon shattered as Eren heard a familiar voice.

 

“Eren?”

 

Levi felt how the brunet tensed as they both focused on the owner of the voice. It was a man probably in his early 50s and Levi couldn't help but feel like he looked a bit familiar.

 

“Father?”, Eren said softly, gripping tightly onto the short man's hand.

 

The realization hit Levi then. The man looked almost exactly like Zeke. Although, it was no wonder since he apparently was Zeke and Eren’s father. Their  _ asshole _ father based on what Levi has heard from the brunet.

 

“It's quite a surprise to see you here and-” The man's eyes narrowed down at the couple's entwined hands. “Who might this be?”

 

“Uh...he's-”

 

“I'm Levi Ackerman, Eren's boyfriend”, Levi said without hesitation, staring straight at the older man as he offered his hand for a handshake.

 

“Grisha Yeager, Eren's father”, Grisha said as he accepted the handshake.

 

“Daddy! Who are they?”, a small girl suddenly asked, bouncing next to Grisha, followed by a black haired lady probably in her late 30s.

 

“Oh! You are Eren, right?”, the lady said. “I've only ever seen a few pictures of you so it's finally great to meet. I'm Madeleine Yeager.”

 

“It's nice to meet you, Mrs. Madeleine”, Eren said as he shook her hand, trying hard to smile but his father's presence was making him nervous. He turned to the little girl. “And you must be Adelia. I'm Eren.”

 

“You're my brother too? Like Zeke?”, the girl asked as she shyly shook his hand.

 

Eren nodded and he found it a lot easier to smile to the little girl but that wasn't long-lasting as his father spoke up.

 

“Eren, can I talk with you for a moment? Just the two of us”, he asked.

 

Eren wanted to say no, he didn't want to talk. Especially not alone with his father. But he still nodded and stood up.

 

However, before he could follow Grisha, Levi stopped him.

 

“Will you be okay?”, he whispered with a concerned look.

 

The brunet smiled at him. “It will be fine.” Even he himself didn't quite believe that. Talks with his father usually ended with tears and a blade on his wrist after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading. Comments and kudos give me motivation to write and update so please consider leaving some~ I really appreciate them~


	35. Father And Mother

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, everyone! I'm here with a new chapter! Also sorry, there might be more mistakes than usual in this chapter because I feel off a horse head first into a puddle yesterday so I might be getting sick because of that /: But apart from feeling a bit sck and dizzy I'm fine so yeah.
> 
> Enjoy~

Grisha led Eren to a less populated area of the aquarium before he faced the young man.

 

“Eren, are you doing this on purposely to spite me?”, Grisha asked with a disapproving frown.

 

“Doing what?”, Eren asked, trying to keep his voice steady despite the anxiety and panic he felt. He could already feel his palms getting clammy.

 

“Oh, you know what”, the old man said. “That man over there; was he really your boyfriend?”

 

Eren hesitated, biting his lip. His father was the last person that he wanted to know that he was gay. But the cat was already out of the bag.

 

“Yes, he is”, he admitted. “But it isn't to spite you. I really do love him.”

 

“You  _ love _ him?” Grisha looked disgusted. “Not only is he a man but he's so much older than you!”

 

“You and Ms. Madeleine have, what, a 13-year-age gap? It's not that much different”, Eren insisted.

 

“It is. We're _ adults _ !”, the older reasoned.

 

“So am I!”

 

“You're not! You're still a kid!”, Grisha said before sighing and rubbing at his temples like he was talking to a rebellious teenager instead of his adult son. “You're just like your mother. So stubborn and unrelenting. Especially when it comes to the stupidest things like that stupid coffee shop.”

 

“Don't you dare talk about mom and the coffee shop like that! You have no right!”, Eren snapped.

 

“But neither of you realize that it won't last! Carla doesn't have to worry about it anymore but you do!”, Grisha said. “I just want what's best for you and it's not that coffee shop and most definitely it's not that man-”

 

“You don't know shit!”, the young brunet yelled, gaining a few looks but he didn't care right now. “You have no idea what Levi has done for me so don't you talk like you know! He has done more for me than you could ever even  _ dream _ of doing!”

 

With that, the talk was done as Eren turned on his heels and walked away briskly to where Levi was. The short man was talking with Madeleine and Adelia but he couldn't care less right now if he interrupted them as he grabbed Levi's wrist and started pulling him away.

 

“Eren?”, Levi asked, concerned as he followed the brunet without resistance.

 

“Sorry. I just want as far away from my father as possible right now”, Eren explained and Levi could hear the tears in his voice.

 

He ran up a little so he could walk next to the young man instead of being dragged behind him before stopping them both. He turned Eren to face him before he cupped his face, wiping tears away.

 

“What did he say?”, Levi asked softly. He tried to look into Eren’s eyes but the other avoided his gaze.

 

Eren shook his head. “I don't want to talk about this in here.”

 

Levi surveyed the area before his eyes landed on the bathrooms. He grabbed hold of the other’s wrist before pulling him towards them. He led them into the men's bathroom and wetted a paper towel before gently tapping it on Eren's face to clean the tears away. Once done with that he handed the brunet a dry paper towel.

 

“Here. Blow your nose.”

 

Eren did so wordlessly. He looked so tired even though he had previously been almost sparkling with energy and excitement.

 

“What happened?”, Levi asked softly when the brunet was done but Eren just shook his head again, sniffling. “Eren, I'm worried and I want to help but I can't if you don't tell me.”

 

Eren stayed silent for a moment before he wrapped his arms around Levi, surprising the older man.

 

“He mocked our relationship and once again talked about how the coffee shop wouldn't last”, he said softly as he buried his face in Levi's shoulder.

 

Levi frowned as he wound his arms around the brunet.

 

“Don't listen to him. He doesn't know shit”, he reassured.

 

“I know that”, Eren said softly. “I know but still…”

 

Levi felt bad for not knowing how to comfort the brunet better. He could only embrace Eren and hope that it helped.

 

They stood there for a moment until someone came into the bathroom and send them a dirty, disgusted look.

 

Levi glared back at the man but before he could do anything more, Eren pulled away from the hug and grabbed his hand to lead them out.

 

“Your friends are probably waiting for us”, he said with a small sniffle.

 

Levi followed wordlessly, squeezing the tanned hand in an attempt to provide comfort.

 

As they walked, he had time to think. While he wanted to believe that Eren's coffee shop could last, he knew that it was only a matter of time before Eren had to shut it down at this rate.

 

Eren once told him that his daily income is usually only somewhere around 20 euros. That made around 500 a month; around  _ one tenth _ of Levi's monthly pay.

 

He knew that now that he was helping Eren with the cost of food that the brunet had managed to save a little but such small savings wouldn't do much for the coffee shop. Levi wondered how Eren had managed to afford everything from the utilities and the stuff for his coffee shop to his own food.

 

Levi was brought out of his thoughts when Eren suddenly stopped. He saw the brunet looking sadly at one particular tank filled with big, brightly coloured goldfish.

 

“We used to have a big aquarium in the coffee shop filled with goldfish when my parents were still together”, Eren explained. “But mom had to sell it after they divorced and money started getting low.”

 

Levi was silent for a moment. “We could get an aquarium and a few goldfish?”, he suggested. He didn't necessarily want to have any pet since they always somehow made a mess. But fish wouldn't, right? They stayed happily in their own space, just looking pretty. He would be fine with those if it made Eren happy.

 

However, the young man shook his head.

 

“No, it's fine”, he said softly.

 

They stood there silently for a long moment, just looking at that one tank. A thought came to Levi.

 

“Why drowning?”, He decided to ask once there weren’t a lot of people around them, the question nagging at his brain for answers.

 

Eren's head snapped to him. “Eh? What do you mean?”

 

“I mean...why do you...want to end your life by jumping off that bridge?”, Levi asked, choosing his words carefully. “Drowning doesn't seem like the fastest or most pleasant way to go.”

 

“Oh…” Eren looked back at the fish with a small, sad smile. “As I said before, I love the ocean because I only have good memories from it so I thought that maybe if I drowned, the river would lead my body to the ocean.”

 

Levi didn't know what to say to that.

 

“Eren-”

 

“Sorry, I know it's stupid. The whole thing is stupid”, the brunet said with a hollow laugh to try to dissipate the heavy, awkward atmosphere that settled around them.

 

Levi frowned as he laced their fingers together on one hand while he cupped Eren's cheek with the other to make the brunet look him in the eyes.

 

“I...I wouldn't say that it's stupid”, he started. “I just don't want you to die. I don't want you to want to die, Eren. I want you to live and stay here with me. I don’t want to lose you.”

 

Tears gathered in Eren’s eyes from the pure sincerity in Levi's face and voice and he turned so that he could embrace his boyfriend, burying his face in his shoulders as the tears fell.

 

Levi wrapped his arms around Eren, drawing soothing circles in his back. He ignored all of the looks they got from other visitors of the aquarium. All he focused on was Eren.

 

However, the moment was shattered as they heard Levi's phone ringing.

 

Levi sighed as he pulled away from Eren but still kept one arm around his waist and took out his phone. After checking the caller ID, he answered.

 

“What is it?”, he said, maybe a bit too harshly.

 

_ “Did I interrupt something?”, _ Erwin teased.

 

_ “Levi, no sex in a public place!” _ , Hanji shouted in the background.

 

Levi sighed. “Not really”, he answered, ignoring the brunette. “Apart from checking if we were making out in public, did you need something?”

 

_ “We've waited over half an hour outside already. Will you still take long?”,  _ the blond asked.

 

“You could just leave, you know?”, Levi answered.

 

_ “We took a vote and everyone agreed that you should also treat us to dinner at your place”, _ Erwin said.

 

“No, you all will make a mess”, Levi refused. “Besides, it's Eren who'd have to make it.”

 

“I could do it”, Eren said. He was pressed close enough to the short man to hear their talk, although he didn't really want to eavesdrop.

 

_ “I heard that”,  _ Erwin said smugly.  _ “So dinner at your place then?” _

 

Levi sighed once again. He had wanted to enjoy the rest of the day with just Eren. But the company might help distract the brunet from any somber, dark thoughts.

 

“Fine”, he agreed.

 

_ “Good. Hurry up then. Hanji is getting more and more annoying the longer you take.” _

 

Levi could hear an offended ‘hey!’ in the background.

 

“They're always annoying”, he said before ending the call.

 

“So we'll have to drop by the market”, Eren said with a small smile. He glanced briefly around them and when he noticed that people had lost interest in them, he kissed Levi on the cheek.

 

Levi’s heart skipped a beat at the cute, domestic gesture but before he could recover from it, Eren already started pulling him towards the exit, this time with slower steps than earlier when he was adamant on getting away from his father as soon as possible. However, before they could exit, Levi pulled them to a stop.

 

“Hm?”, Eren hummed in question as he turned to look at the other.

 

“Are you alright?”, Levi asked as he gave a small squeeze to their joined hands.

 

Eren averted his eyes. It was quite apparent that he had been crying looking at his face. Hopefully Hanji and company wouldn’t comment on that.

 

“I'm...okay. I will be better once we just get back home”, Eren answered.

 

“Sorry”, Levi said.

 

Eren’s bright eyes immediately snapped to him. “Why are  _ you _ apologizing? I'm the one that ruined the day again.”

 

“No, you didn’t. You wouldn't have known that your father was also here today so it's not your fault”, Levi said firmly with a frown that soon turned into an apologetic smile. “And I'm sorry that I can't do more for you.”

 

Eren shook his head before cupping Levi's cheek and looking him straight in the eyes with a soft gaze.

 

“You do more than enough”, the brunet assured with a tender smile. “I feel like I can never repay you for everything you've done.”

 

“Just having you by my side is all I could ever wish for and more”, Levi said as he cupped Eren’s face and leaned their foreheads together.

 

People were looking at them again but they ignored them in favour of getting lost in each other’s eyes.

 

However, the moment didn’t last long as Levi's phone rang once again. He sighed with frustration as he pulled back so he could take out his phone and answered it without looking at the caller ID.

 

“Yes, we are fucking coming. Can you just chill for a fucking moment?”, Levi snapped into the phone, expecting to hear Hanji or Erwin. However, it wasn't any of his friends.

 

_ “Oh, Levi dear, watch your language!”,  _ A woman scolded and Levi wished he had looked at who the caller was.

 

He coughed awkwardly. “Mom?”

 

That piqued Eren's interest as he looked to Levi, tilting his head in question but the short man could only shrug for now.

 

_ “Yes, it's mom! Who did you think it was?”, _ Levi's mother, Kuchel, asked.

 

“A friend”, Levi answered simply. “Did you need something?”

 

_ “I can't call my son without a reason? Just to hear how you're doing?”,  _ the woman questioned.  _ “I haven't heard from you in months now! You never call me!” _

 

“Sorry, I've been busy with work and stuff”, the short man explained, briefly glancing at Eren.

 

_ “And that ‘stuff’ is your sweetheart, right?” _

 

Levi’s eyes widened in surprise before narrowing as he looked to the exit of the aquarium as if he could see the one who he thought was responsible.

 

“Who told you?”, he asked but he was pretty sure he knew who it was...

 

_ “I called Erwin because I forgot to ask for his mother's new number and on the same occasion, I asked how you were doing and he mentioned that you had a partner! And I haven't been informed!”,  _ Kuchel scolded.

 

“We haven't been together for that long and there's been some rocky times”, Levi explained. “I didn't feel like we were at the ‘meeting the parents’ stage yet.” Although, Levi had basically met Eren’s whole family already.

 

_ “But you could've told me”,  _ Kuchel said and Levi could hear the pout in her voice.  _ “So when are you going to bring him over here?” _

 

Levi knew it would come to this. He sighed and rubbed at his temples.

 

“I don't know. I have to talk with Eren about that.”

 

_ “Oh? ‘Eren’ is your partner? So it's a man?”, _ the woman asked.

 

Eren had been eavesdropping a bit after he heard that they were talking about him and he tensed as he heard that. Was Levi's mother also not fine with gay couples like Eren's father?

 

“Erwin didn't tell you that?”, Levi asked, oblivious to Eren's anxiety.

 

_ “No, he only said that you had someone special now but didn't say anything else”, _ Kuchel replied.  _ “But I'm glad. You sound happy.” _

 

That and the smile that rose onto Levi's lips as he looked at Eren made the brunet calm down.

 

“I really am. Incredibly so”, the black haired man said with the most tender, loving look on his face.

 

_ “Which is exactly why you better bring him here as soon as possible!”,  _ Kuchel insisted.

 

“I will”, Levi promised. “I will call you soon, okay?”

 

_ “Oh, you better!”,  _ the woman chuckled.  _ “Love you.” _

 

“Love you too”, Levi answered before ending the call. He let out a soft sigh as he put his phone back, ignoring the messages he had gotten from Hanji and Erwin, before he turned back to Eren. “Shall we go?”

 

Eren nodded as he took Levi's hand once again before they resumed their walk towards the exit.

 

“So I’ll be meeting with your mother soon?”, he asked. The thought made him nervous but at least it seemed like Levi's mother was fine with his gender.

 

“If you want to?”, Levi asked back.

 

“Of course, I do. She's your mother”, Eren answered before a small frown formed on his face. “Besides, you already met my father so I think it's time for me to meet your family also.”

 

“That will probably only be my mother though”, Levi informed before frowning a little. “Unless my uncle decides to drop by…”

 

“Hm? You don't get along with him?”, the brunet asked curiously.

 

“I do but...he's bit of a strange person, so to speak”, the older man explained.

 

Eren hummed in acknowledgement. He was curious was to what this uncle of Levi's was really like.

 

“If you don't mind me asking...what about your father?”, he inquired carefully.

 

“I don't know”, Levi answered with a shrug. “My mother used to fool around when she was younger. I was a result of a one night stand so even my mother doesn't know who my father is.”

 

“So your mother raised you alone?”, Eren asked.

 

“Not exactly”, Levi answered. “Of course, she did most of the work but she wasn't alone. Her parents and brother helped her out.”

 

“And they did great”, the brunet said with a wide, cheeky smile.

 

Levi rolled his eyes fondly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading~ Comments and kudos are always great! Also thank you so much for over 600 kudos!!! I'm so so happy and grateful for that!


	36. Warm Dinner And A Hot Shower

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, my dudes! An update! I got a bit sick last week so haven't been writing much of anything but fortunately I have a few chapters of this written out already. I'm starting to feel better now though, thankfully.
> 
> But enough about that. Enjoy~

“I'm sorry about this, Eren”, Petra apologized. “We're really imposing on you two.”

 

They were currently in the grocery store to get ingredients for their dinner since there wasn't enough at Levi's apartment to feed the group.

 

“No, don't worry about it. I like cooking and the more, the merrier as they say”, Eren reassured as he put a carton of eggs into the shopping cart.

 

“Even so we should've informed you earlier”, Petra sighed. “Hanji and Erwin just love making Levi's life difficult by bothering him every chance they get.”

 

Eren chuckled at that. “They're really close, huh?”

 

“Well, they've known each other for a long time now”, the redhead said. “What were you planning to make?”

 

“Hm? Oh, tortellini carbonara with a side of fruit salad”, Eren answered. “I didn't know if there was something any of you didn't like so pasta is usually a pretty safe bet.”

 

“Oh, don't worry. None of us are picky”, she assured before a thought came to her. “Except maybe Oluo but whatever Levi enjoys, he will too.”

 

Eren smiled as Petra let out a chuckle before they continued to browse the aisles for the ingredients.

 

“Don't you think garlic bread would also go nicely with the pasta?”, Petra asked when they were in the vegetable aisle.

 

“That sounds great actually”, Eren hummed and was about to grab some garlic before hesitating. “But Levi might not like the smell of garlic all over the apartment…”

 

“I'm sure Levi will live”, the woman said as she took a small pack of garlic and placed it in the shopping cart.

 

“I will live through what now?”

 

Both of them turned around at the voice, seeing Levi standing there with a raised brow.

 

“We were just wondering-”

 

“Will you mind if I steal Eren away? He's just too cute”, Petra said teasingly as she wrapped her arms around one of Eren's.

 

Levi just rolled his eyes before sighing. “Are you done soon?”, he asked, ignoring Petra's teasing.

 

The redhead pouted. “You're no fun. Did babysitting Hanji get boring already?”

 

“It's been like that since the beginning. There isn't even a second of silence”, Levi grumbled.

 

While Eren and Petra went out to shop for dinner as they were the most knowledgeable ones out of the bunch, the rest stayed in the cars. Unfortunately, since Hanji rode in Levi's car to the aquarium, they also rode back in it, which meant that Levi was stuck alone with Hanji.

 

Eren chuckled. “We're almost done. Just try to last for a few more minutes.”

 

“Do you say that to Levi often?”

 

Levi groaned and Petra giggled as Hanji bounced up to them.

 

“Couldn't you just have stayed in the car?”, the short man sighed.

 

“You turned it off! It gets cold quickly!”, Hanji defended. “Besides, I would've missed the opportunity to poke fun at your stamina in bed.”

 

“Eren can confirm that that is untrue”, Levi said.

 

It was Eren’s turn to groan as he hid his slowly reddening face in his hands. Did they have to talk about this? Especially in public?

 

Thankfully, that conversation didn’t proceed further and they soon had all of the ingredients needed and left the store before there would be any more embarrassment.

 

Levi parked his car into the garage of the apartment building as he had a designated spot there while the rest parked their cars outside before following Levi, Eren and Hanji into the elevator. They had to go up in two batches as they all couldn't fit into it.

 

Once they were all inside Levi's apartment, Eren went into the kitchen with the groceries while Levi made sure that everyone took off their shoes at the entrance and placed them nicely by the wall.

 

Eren chuckled as he heard Hanji refer to the short man as a ‘mother’.

 

Petra was the first one to join him, helping him with unpacking the bags.

 

“You really don't have to. You're one of the guests”, Eren said.

 

Petra shook her head. “It's fine. We're imposing on you two so the least I can do is help with dinner”, she said, giving him a kind smile that Eren couldn't help but return.

 

While they were busy starting dinner, Levi turned to Erwin after the rest were settled in front of the TV.

 

“I have something to talk about”, he said, his face and voice blank.

 

“What is it?”, Erwin asked.

 

Instead of getting an answer, Levi gestured for him to follow him to the bedroom before closing the door so they could have some privacy.

 

The short man then turned to the blond. “I have an idea”, he started.

 

Erwin raised one of his massive eyebrows at that, waiting for him to continue.

 

“Instead of that shitty coffee machine at the company, couldn't we invest in Eren's coffee shop?”, Levi said, crossing his arms. “Have him deliver coffee to the company or have someone pick them up? I know some companies have people doing that. Also the coffee is a hell of a lot of better than that mudwater from the machine and I'm sure a great cup of coffee would motivate the workers too.”

 

Erwin stood there silently for a moment as he processed what the short man had just suggested.

 

“You're really selling it, huh?”, he hummed after a while. “Now where is this coming from? Have you talked to Eren about this?”

 

“I haven't. I didn't want to get his hopes up in case it doesn't happen”, Levi explained. “And as for what brought this up…Something happened at the aquarium today. That's all I can and will say as I don't want to divulge personal information about Eren without his permission and knowledge. Never again.” He sighed as he remembered what had happened last time before shaking the thought away. “I just want to help and support Eren every way I can. Especially since he deserves it. Despite how the exterior of the building looks, Eren’s coffee is the best I’ve ever tasted and he has put his heart and soul into that coffee shop. I couldn’t bear to see him lose it.”

 

Erwin hummed in acknowledgement. “I will think about it”, he said.

 

“You better not be making out over here”, Petra suddenly warned as she came into the room with a frown on her lips. “Sneaking off into the privacy of your bedroom as soon as Eren is busy with other stuff doesn't look good, Levi. I’m not doubting your loyalty to him but Eren might get worried, you know?”

 

Levi realized how bad that would look indeed so he exited the bedroom and headed for the kitchen.

 

Eren’s back was turned to him as he approached before wrapping his arms around the brunet and pressing a kiss to his nape.

 

Eren flinched at the sudden, initial contact before basically melting into the familiar embrace.

 

He didn’t want to admit it but when he had asked where Levi was and heard that he and Erwin had shut themselves into the bedroom, he had been anxious, worried and jealous. He felt bad about it because he knew Levi would never lie to him but he couldn’t stop the dark thoughts. Erwin was good-looking after all. He had his life in order by the looks of it and didn’t seem like the type of person to want to kill himself unlike Eren who kept burdening Levi with all of his problems. The blond seemed like the better choice for Levi.

 

However, all of those thoughts melted away as the short man behind him pressed soft kisses to his skin, silently assuring Eren that he was loved and wanted. It was all the brunet could’ve asked for at the moment.

 

“What are we having for dinner, love?”, Levi asked softly.

 

“Tortellini carbonara with fruit salad and garlic bread”, Eren answered, a shiver running down his spine as the other softly bit at his nape. “Petra made the salad already and I'm almost done so it won't take long.”

 

Levi hummed against the tanned skin as he continued to press small kisses everywhere he could, occasionally taking a small nibble.

 

Eren suppressed a soft whimper as the other bit onto a sensitive spot on his neck, his cheeks immediately gaining color.

 

“Levi, not now! There are other people!”, he said quietly.

 

“What? You couldn't possibly be getting aroused, could you?”, Levi teased, the smirk on his face audible.

 

“Fuck yes, I am”, Eren mumbled.

 

Levi only chuckled as he finally took a step back from the brunet, instead opting to lean against the counter to watch while Eren cooked.

 

“But you wouldn't be opposed to it after they leave?”, he asked, although he could already guess the answer.

 

“That better be a promise”, the brunet said.

 

“It is”, Levi promised and as if to prove it, he reached out to briefly fondle the other’s butt.

 

Eren let out a soft squeak that made Levi laugh. The young man glared at him with a pout and a soft blush but couldn't help the laughter that also bubbled up from his chest.

 

* * *

 

After their dinner, a deep frown adorned Levi’s face. He should've known that the garlic bread was a bad idea.

 

It was delicious, of course, as was everything that Eren made but now he had to deal with everyone's smelly breath, including his own. He had washed his mouth twice but the garlic still seemed to linger.

 

“C'mon, Levi, it doesn't smell  _ that _ bad”, Hanji said with a grin, purposely huffing out as they spoke.”Won't you give me a goodbye hug?”

 

“For the last time:  _ no”, _ Levi grumbled with his arms crossed as he watched the group getting dressed up to leave from a safe distance.

 

“Then Eren?”, Hanji asked, arms spread out.

 

Eren chuckled before he went to give them a hug just to humor them and also to tease Levi a bit.

 

“C'mon, Levi, you should properly say ‘bye’ to your friends”, Eren said with a wide grin as he separated from the brunette.

 

“No” came the firm answer.

 

“C'mon”, Eren whined as he went to grab hold of Levi's wrist to try and pull him closer. He managed to slide the short man slowly forward a bit but that was it as Levi resisted the pull. However, Eren got backup as Erwin came to help him.

 

“Levi, we all just want to give you a hug. It's not that bad”, Erwin chuckled as he helped pull the short man closer to the group by the front door.

 

Levi tried to plant his feet firmly on the ground but his socked feet didn't really help him, sliding quite easily against the polished wood.

 

“Fuck you, you shitty eyebrows! Let me go!”, Levi yelled as he tried to wriggle his arms free from both Erwin and Eren. However, he didn't manage to do it in time as Hanji wrapped their arms around him tightly.

 

“Oh, Levi!”, Hanji sighed right into his face, making him scrunch up his nose.

 

Erwin let go of Levi's arm to also hug the short man.

 

“Fuck off!”, Levi grumbled.

 

Eren just chuckled as he joined the group hug before Petra, Eld, Gunther and Oluo did too.

 

They were all smiles and laughter except for Levi who was frowning as he was squished in the middle of the bodies. Fortunately, it didn't last long and as soon as the group hug dispersed enough, he shoved his way out and far away from them all like a cat that had been doused in water. He glared at all of them until they had exited the apartment, leaving only him and Eren.

 

The brunet chuckled as he walked up to him, cupping one of Levi’s cheeks while pressing a kiss to the other one.

 

“Sorry, but it had to happen”, Eren said cheekily, not sounding the least bit sorry.

 

Levi was sulking still but he couldn't help the want to pull the brunet into a proper kiss. He placed one of his hands on the small of Eren’s back and the other on his cheek, pulling the young man towards him before pressing their lips together.

 

Eren hummed approvingly into the kiss before it turned to a soft moan as Levi’s tongue delved into his mouth, exploring and playing with Eren's tongue.

 

Levi, however, pulled away far too soon for Eren's liking.

 

“Ugh, the fucking garlic”, Levi grumbled.

 

Eren couldn't help but burst into laughter seeing the face that the short man made.

 

“I will go wash my mouth then”, he chuckled before an alluring smirk rose onto his lips. “Wouldn't want your dick to smell like garlic later.”

 

Giving Levi a wink, Eren turned around to go wash his mouth, purposely swaying his hips as he knew that Levi was looking, before he disappeared into the bathroom.

 

Eren’s heart was beating fast with excitement at the thought of what was to come. He brushed his teeth and gargled some mouthwash before he realized that he should probably shower too since they had been out all day. He briefly wondered if Levi wanted to shower too before hand and it made an idea pop in his head.

 

He smiled as he exited the bathroom to search for Levi. The short man was easily found, sitting on the bed waiting for Eren.

 

The brunet walked up to him, keeping eye contact as he slid into Levi's lap before sliding his arms around the man's neck and connecting their lips.

 

“Want to take a shower first? Together?”, Eren asked once they separated.

 

“How could I say no?”, Levi replied before connecting their lips again briefly as his hands slid to Eren's buttocks. “Want to take the lube with us? Get started in the shower?”

 

“How could I say no?”, Eren repeated with a small smirk before he stood up to take the lube out of Levi's nightstand, eyeing the condoms but deciding not to take them. If they decided to go all the way in the shower it wouldn't make a mess anyway.

 

Levi had his arm wrapped around the brunet's hip as soon as he straightened up and they walked like that to the bathroom.

 

Eren placed the bottle of lube next to the bath and shower products before he turned to Levi. He slid his arms over the man's shoulders as he leaned in to kiss the short man.

 

Levi's hands slipped underneath the brunet’s shirt while Eren was distracted by the kiss and let out a soft hum as the pale hands caressed his warm, tanned skin.

 

“So beautiful”, Levi whispered as he pulled away from the kiss to pull Eren's shirt off.

 

Eren blushed slightly at the compliment before he attached his lips to the black haired man’s neck, pressing kisses from the bottom all the way to his jaw.

 

Levi hummed approvingly and Eren felt the vibrations against his lips as he kissed the man's throat.

 

He tugged at the hem of Levi's shirt, glad that he wouldn't have to undo buttons, as he started nibbling on the pale skin and he loved how Levi's breath hitched whenever he bit a little harder.

 

The brunet pulled away from Levi's neck to get his shirt off but was back in as soon as the garment was out of the way.

 

Levi was just about to start taking Eren's pants off when the young man spoke up suddenly, the warm breath against his neck incredibly arousing.

 

“When I was making dinner, what were you and Erwin doing?”, Eren whispered softly against Levi's neck, his face hidden from the short man.

 

“Hm?” The question was so sudden that it took a moment for Levi to process it. It was then that he realized that Eren had probably been mulling over that throughout the dinner and his sudden interest in marking Levi’s neck made sense.

 

The brunet was jealous and Levi shouldn't have felt as happy about that fact as he did.

 

“You have nothing to worry about. We were just talking”, he assured.

 

“About?”, Eren inquired tentatively.

 

“You.”

 

Eren’s brow furrowed as he pulled away from Levi's neck to look at the man's face.

 

“Me?”

 

“Yes, you”, Levi answered. “You and your coffee shop to be more exact.”

 

Eren looked at him expectantly so he sighed.

 

“It's not sure yet so I don't want to get your hopes up or anything but I asked Erwin if instead of the shitty mudwater from the company's coffee machine, we invested in your coffee shop”, Levi explained. “You would get more income and we would get better coffee.”

 

Eren was silent as he thought it over. It seemed like a great idea. He could possibly get the coffee shop back on its feet and prove to his father that the shop wasn't going to fall apart. Of course, he doubted that just Levi's plan would make the coffee shop successful but at least it would stay open for business.

 

But on the other hand, he felt like he was cheating at life. He wouldn't be making more money because of his hard work but because of Levi. He really didn't know how to feel.

 

Levi noticed that the brunet was having conflicting feelings about the suggestion so he decided that distraction was in order.

 

“No need to think about it too hard yet. It's not like it has been set in stone. It might fall through still if Erwin thinks that it's not worth it”, Levi said before started to fiddle with Eren's belt. “And there are other things that we could be thinking about right now.”

 

Eren let out a short laugh at the wink that Levi sent him before he got to work on the short man's pants.

 

Eren’s jeans were soon being pulled down and he kicked them off once they were pooled around his ankles before kneeling down in front of Levi as he slid his pants off.

 

Levi could see where this was going as Eren nuzzled against his clothed cock while his hands caressed the older man's hips for a while before slipping his fingers under the waistband of Levi’s boxer briefs. He pulled them down and out of the way before grabbing hold of Levi's half-hard cock with one hand while he held onto Levi’s hip with the other.

 

He licked the underside of the length, making the short man groan and place his hand in Eren's hair, not gripping but still a noticeable presence.

 

Eren continued to lick up and down Levi's shaft to lubricate it enough that he could start pumping his hand up and down the length to bring Levi to full hardness.

 

The hand in his hair became rougher, grabbing onto the strands, when Eren wrapped his lips around the head of Levi's cock.

 

Levi sighed before letting out a soft moan as the brunet went down on his dick until it was completely engulfed in that hot mouth. The feeling was already pure pleasure but the sight of Eren taking his cock made him feel like he would cum right then and there.

 

Eren had sucked him off before but the lights have always been dimmed a little. However, in the bright light of the bathroom, he could see every small detail and it was beyond arousing.

 

His thoughts were interrupted as Eren swallowed around him and he couldn't help but let out a loud sound somewhere between a moan and a grunt. The brunet’s mouth felt heavenly around him and he knew he wouldn't last long if this continued so he forced himself to extract Eren from his cock.

 

“You keep going like that and I'm going to cum before you're even undressed completely”, Levi answered to Eren's silent question.

 

The brunet hummed, pressing a kiss to the cock, before he stood up to shimmy out of his underwear, throwing them off to the side as he plastered himself against Levi to kiss him deeply.

 

While their mouths were busy, Levi's hands crept to the cleft of Eren's ass, rubbing against his tailbone a bit before sliding further down to fondle the brunet's buttocks.

 

Eren moaned into the kiss as Levi kept kneading his butt and he subconsciously started to rub his erection against Levi.

 

“Let's get into the shower, shall we?”, the short man said as he broke the kiss.

 

Eren could only nod before they stepped into the tub but he didn't turn the shower on as he saw Levi squirt some lube onto his fingers.

 

“Turn around and bend over”, Levi ordered, the tone sending a shiver down the brunet's spine as he happily complied.

 

He closed his hands around the grab bar on the wall so he wouldn't accidentally slip. He had previously teased Levi about it, saying that the man was so old that he needed the grab bar for his shower but now he was glad for it as he felt two of Levi's fingers push themselves inside him at the same time.

 

Eren let out a soft gasp at the sudden intrusion but he wasn't complaining. He was just as impatient and aroused as Levi and wanted the man inside him as soon as possible.

 

He let out a moan as the older pressed down on his prostate after just a bit of probing around.

 

Levi smirked slightly as he continued to massage the spot until Eren's legs were shaking before he added a third finger into the mix.

 

“L-Levi, I'm g-going to cum if-”, Eren said but he cut himself off with a gasp as Levi's fingers wrapped tightly around the base of his cock, preventing his orgasm. He let out a whine.

 

“Shh...just hold on for a little while longer, okay?”, Levi whispered into his ear before licking a stripe up his spine as he continued stretching the brunet, now avoiding Eren's prostate.

 

Eren let out a frustrated whine as he tried to buck into Levi's hand and press down on the man's fingers to get some of that sweet pleasure when Levi suddenly pulled away.

 

“Levi?”, he asked, looking behind himself to see the short man searching for something.

 

“You didn't take the condoms?”, Levi asked.

 

“It won't make a mess here and we're going to wash up anyways”, Eren explained, almost innocently before he got this sultry look in his eyes. “Please, just take me raw.”

 

Levi groaned. Eren could've asked him to fuck the brunet in the dirtiest, most disgusting public bathroom ever with that voice and Levi still probably couldn't have said “no”.

 

So he rubbed the leftover lube from his hand onto his cock before he grabbed onto Eren's hips. He couldn't help but tease the brunet a little more, rubbing his dick between Eren's buttocks until the young man groaned in frustration.

 

“Stop with the teasing”, Eren said.

 

Levi let out a small chuckle before it turned to a low moan as he finally pushed inside. It always felt so incredible. It was so hot and tight, pressing against his length in the most delicious ways. It made him feel like Eren was made just for him.

 

“Are you just going to warm your dick or will you actually fuck me?”, Eren whined impatiently as Levi just stayed still once he was all the way in.

 

“Hmm? Getting impatient?”, Levi hummed as he pulled out a bit before pushing in, starting slow, shallow thrusting. He wanted to make the brunet scream in pleasure but that could wait. He felt like teasing the young man as much as he could.

 

“Mmh...You- Your fault. You were molesting me in the kitchen b-before dinner”, Eren answered. “D-do it harder.”

 

“So demanding”, Levi said, his voice low as he gave one hard, quick thrust before going back to the slow rhythm.

 

Eren moaned loudly at the hard thrust but sighed in frustration when it didn't continue.

 

“Levi, please, that's enough teasing already”, he whined, pushing back against Levi impatiently.

 

“Okay, okay”, Levi agreed with a soft laugh. He didn't want to push the brunet too far.

 

He pulled out all the way to the tip this time until snapping his hips forward quickly and he was rewarded by an appreciative moan.

 

“I-is that better?”, he asked as he started up a faster rhythm.

 

“O-oh fuck yes! Ahh...Nhh...S-so good”, Eren cried out, tears streaming down his cheeks as Levi rubbed against his prostate.

 

The sounds of panting, moaning and slapping of skin against skin echoed in the bathroom as Levi thrust into Eren vigorously.

 

The brunet’s knees and arms were shaking with the effort to keep himself up as he got closer and closer to his climax.

 

“I-I'm close- Ngh…”, he said, his grip tightening against the grab bar.

 

“So am I”, Levi panted out as his rhythm started to falter. He grabbed hold of Eren's erection and only needed to give it a few pumps until the young man was arching his back and screaming his name as he came onto Levi's hand.

 

Levi wasn't far behind as he soon came inside Eren, the brunet tightening around him as if trying to milk him dry.

 

They were both panting heavily as they came down from their high.

 

Eren slid down onto his knees in exhaustion, Levi's cock slipping out in the process.

 

“Are you alright?”, Levi asked as he knelt down next to the brunet, brushing sweaty, brown hair out of his face.

 

Eren gave him a tired, lazy smile as he leaned into the touch.

 

“I'm more than alright. That was amazing”, he said.

 

Levi chuckled slightly as he leaned forward to press a chaste kiss to Eren's lips.

 

“So it was a five star experience?”, he asked teasingly.

 

“Make it six because that was off the scale”, Eren answered with a cheeky grin that made Levi shake his head fondly.

 

“Let's wash up”, he said as he stood up before helping the other up as well.

 

Eren hummed. “I love you”, he said, pressing a quick kiss onto Levi's lips.

 

“I love you too”, Levi returned, raising an eyebrow as Eren suddenly shivered, his eyes wide and cheeks reddening. “Eren?”

 

Eren hid his burning face in his hands as he mumbled something inaudible.

 

“What was that?”, Levi asked, getting slightly concerned.

 

“It's dripping down my leg”, Eren repeated, still softly but clearly enough that Levi heard it.

 

“What is?”, he asked.

 

Eren shook his head. “Let's just wash up”, he changed the subject and turned to the shower to put it on.

 

Levi then understood what Eren meant as he saw his cum dripping out of the brunet. Levi probably shouldn't have been as aroused by the sight as he was. They had only once before done it without a condom and that had been in the bathtub where everything was washed away almost immediately so this was a rare sight.

 

He was snapped back to reality as Eren turned the shower on, the dripping cum getting washed away in the process.

 

He took a step closer until he was right up against Eren’s back, wrapping his arms around his waist from behind.

 

Eren turned around in his hold and placed his arms around Levi's shoulders before leaning down to press their lips together in a slow, tender kiss.

 

They washed up, Levi helping Eren clean his semen out, before they dried up, dressed up and went to bed; both of them happy and satisfied as they snuggled up to each other.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading~ Comments and kudos are always greatly appreciated!


	37. Apples And Fish

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, everyone! I'm later than usual with this chapter because I noticed that I didn't have the chapter after this written out and I like having the next chapter written out completely before I update so I can change things if I need to. That's also the reason why at some point I might not be able to keep up with weekly updates. You're going to get a chapter next week most likely but I'm not sure if I can get one out the week after that. But let's hope so!
> 
> Anyway, enjoy~

Eren’s limbs felt heavy and his backside tingled as he woke up to his alarm. Quickly shutting it off, he stretched out his arms above his head as he sat up.

 

He let out a soft yawn before looking down next to him where Levi was sleeping so peacefully. He couldn't help the small smile that rose onto his lips as he brushed Levi's hair out of his face, being careful not to wake up the older man.

 

The weekend had been busy and he hadn't had time to think about anything as it seemed like one thing just led to another so he was glad for the peaceful and calm morning.

 

He still hadn't properly thought of what to make out of Levi's proposition. Of course, it wasn't sure if it would even happen but it wouldn't hurt to ponder it over thoroughly just in case.

 

He carefully got up from the bed, put on a random t-shirt and some jeans before padding into the kitchen to start making breakfast and to pack their lunches. They had enough leftovers from yesterday's dinner so he would split those into their lunches.

 

While he was doing that, he could think.

 

Levi's idea, if it went through, was great. That coupled with the fact that the coffee shop would get renovated in the spring meant that his business might finally find stable footing. After all, he knew that the exterior of the coffee shop was what drove potential customers away the most. However, he still couldn't get over the stubborn thought that he hadn't worked for it by himself. If his coffee shop gain customers, it would be all due to Levi and that didn't feel right.

 

He wanted to prove to his father that he could manage the coffee shop just fine. He wanted to prove to his father that he wasn't a complete failure.

 

“Fuck”, Eren hissed as he accidentally cut his finger while dicing an apple.

 

He sighed as he wrapped a paper towel on the cut before he went to get a bandaid. The cut was a bit deep so he had to wait for the bleeding to thin out before he carefully placed a bandaid over it.

 

He turned back to the cutting board and sighed yet again. The apple was ruined so he had to throw it away, wash the knife and the cutting board and start again.

 

He started peeling another apple but after a while he hissed as it pressed down on the cut and he accidentally dropped the fruit.

 

Eren groaned as he slammed the peeling knife onto the counter and sat down on the ground, burying his face in his knees as he felt tears gathering in his eyes.

 

He was so  _ pathetic. _ He couldn't even peel and cut a stupid apple properly and now he was crying on the kitchen floor because of it.

 

What would his father think if he saw Eren like his? What would  _ Levi _ think if he saw him like this?

 

He didn't even want to think about it. Even Levi would think that he was fucking stupid and pathetic to cry over a damn apple. Was it even just the apple? He didn't even know. His mind was a mess as he thought of his father, the coffee shop and Levi’s idea. It seemed like it was just one thing after another and he didn’t know what to think about.

 

Everything had been fine when he woke up. He was so happy and peaceful. So how did this happen? Wasn't he getting better? He had thought so but if just a fucking apple got to him like this, he obviously hadn't improved at all.

 

Eren didn't know how long he sat there but he started to panic once he heard Levi's footsteps coming towards the kitchen.

 

He stood up too quickly and ended up having to lean on the counter as his head spun a bit from the sudden movement.

 

“Eren? Are you alright?”, Levi asked as he saw the brunet leaning on the counter. He was about to touch the young man but Eren took a step back.

 

“I'm fine”, Eren said, turning his head away from the other. He didn't want Levi to see that he had been crying.

 

Levi saw the half-peeled apple that was still on the ground and the bandaid on Eren's finger. Those coupled with the fact that Eren was obviously avoiding his gaze and touch were huge warning signs in Levi’s mind that something was going on.

 

“Eren”, he said softly as he gently took Eren’s hand. He was relieved that the brunet didn't try to pull his hand away. “What happened?”

 

“Nothing. I will just clean this up and make something else for breakfast. It will only be a little while”, Eren said but didn't move to do so.

 

Levi took that as a sign that maybe Eren wanted to be comforted but didn't know how to ask. That was a good sign, right? Eren wasn't running away from him, trying to shut himself away from Levi.

 

“What happened to your finger?”, he decided to ask.  _ Be patient. Ask him simple questions. _

 

“I just cut my finger”, Eren answered.

 

Levi hummed in acknowledgement as he rubbed the back of the young man’s hand in what he hoped was a soothing but also grateful way.  _ Thank you for telling me. _

 

“Why is there an apple on the ground?”, Levi asked softly, making sure that he didn't sound like he was mad about it at all.

 

“I dropped it accidentally”, Eren said.

 

Another soft hum.

 

“What were you making?”, Levi asked.

 

“Apple cinnamon oatmeal.”

 

“I can help you with that”, Levi said but Eren shook his head.

 

“It's alright. I will just make something else”, the brunet said.

 

“Will you look at me?”, Levi asked.

 

Eren didn't say anything but he didn't turn to look at him either.

 

“What made you so upset?”, Levi tried.

 

“I'm not upset”, Eren claimed.

 

“If not, then look at me.”

 

He didn't. He just squeezed Levi’s hand slightly.

 

“I don't know”, he admitted. “Probably the apple. I'm so stupid.”

 

“Hey, you're not stupid. It happens. Sometimes you're just so tired that even little things get to you and there's nothing wrong with that”, the short man reassured.

 

“But I thought I was getting better. I thought I was becoming more independent and stronger but then I start crying over a fucking apple. It's pathetic”, Eren said, his breath hitching as he let out a sob.

 

Levi tugged on his hand and pulled him into a hug, one hand running through brown locks of hair while the other rubbed soothing circles into Eren’s back.

 

“Shhh...Everything’s okay”, he said. “You’re not stupid or pathetic or anything like that. You  _ are _ independent and strong. You've kept going even after all of the shit you've been through. You're so incredibly strong.”

 

“I'm not”, Eren whispered.

 

“Yes, you are”, Levi said firmly. “You are strong and beautiful inside out. And just because you get help from someone doesn't mean you’re not independent. It just makes you human.”

 

Eren let out a soft sob as he wound his arms tightly around Levi and buried his face in the man's shoulder.

 

“Sorry”, he mumbled.

 

“Hey, it's alright”, Levi reassured. “Want to tell me what happened?”

 

Eren was silent and Levi thought he wouldn't say anything until he spoke up after a long moment.

 

“I was thinking of my father and that thing you said yesterday, about the coffee shop”, Eren started. “I was too caught up in my thoughts so I ended up cutting my finger. When I started peeling another apple, I dropped it accidentally and…”

 

Eren let out a soft sigh as he trailed off but Levi understood that that was when the brunet broke down.

 

“It's okay”, Levi said. “But what did you think about my idea? Did you not like it? As I said, it's not set in stone so you don't need to stress out over it. Even if Erwin agrees to the idea, if you don't like it, it won't happen.”

 

“I know. I just thought I'd think about it for a bit”, the brunet explained as he pulled away from the hug and reached out to wipe at his eyes. “It's a great idea and I would be happy and grateful if it did happen…”

 

“But?”, Levi inquired tentatively.

 

“...But I just feel like then I'm just using you to improve the coffee shop instead of working hard for it myself”, Eren voiced his insecurities.

 

Levi clicked his tongue and Eren was afraid that the man was mad but once he raised his eyes to meet Levi's, he saw a soft smile on his face.

 

“Are you an idiot? You've worked so hard for the past few years for that coffee shop to keep it open for business. You've lived in shitty conditions just to keep it running when you could've given up and taken your father's offer to go to university but you didn't. You deserve a bit of a boost for all that”, Levi said. “Besides, even if you get help from the outside, it's  _ your _ coffee that will keep the people coming back.”

 

Eren couldn't help the smile that rose onto his lips and the tears that sprung to his eyes as he took those words to heart.

 

“Thank you, Levi”, he said with a sob as he pulled the short man into an embrace. “I love you. I love you so much.”

 

“I love you too”, Levi answered as he patted the brunet's back.

 

They stayed like that for a couple of minutes until Eren stopped sniffling and pulled away.

 

“I need to make breakfast quickly”, he said but before he could go anywhere, Levi took hold of his wrist.

 

“Let's just get some bread for breakfast”, he said.

 

Eren nodded as he went to the fridge to get the butter, cheese, ham, lettuce and what not while Levi got the bread and put the coffee maker on since Eren had forgotten that.

 

They ate in silence and Levi managed to take a quick shower before heading out to work. He was a bit worried to leave Eren alone after such a morning but he trusted that the brunet wouldn't do anything to himself.

 

Eren still felt a bit shitty and embarrassed about the way the day had started but began tidying up the apartment to take his mind off it until he needed to go to work.

 

The rest of the day went fine. Levi came by during lunch as usual and got his coffee and a few kisses as the coffee shop was empty at the time. After the man left, Eren decided that it was about time that he called Mikasa.

 

He was a hesitant. What if she was busy? What if she didn't want to talk to him?

 

But he shook those thoughts away. It was something his therapist had said to him repeatedly:  _ don't assume someone’s thoughts. _

 

He tried not to but there were times he couldn't help it. However, now was not such a time. He needed to talk to Mikasa.

 

He dialled the woman, holding his breath as he waited for her to answer. After a while when it didn't feel like she was going to pick up and his anxiety started to seep in, Mikasa finally answered.

 

_ “Hello, Eren”, _ she said.

 

It was weird. She sounded suspiciously relieved and happy but he didn't question it. If she was happy that was good thing.

 

“Hi, Mikasa. How are you?”, he asked.

 

_ “I'm fine. Just happy that you called me”, _ she said.  _ “What about you? Are you okay?” _

 

Eren’s brow furrowed. “Yeah, I'm okay. Why wouldn't I be?”, he said with a small, forced laugh, the anxiety from before resurfacing. Did you normally ask if someone was okay just out of the blue?

 

She was quiet for a while which only made everything worse.

 

“Mikasa?”

 

_ “Are you really already?”, _ Mikasa asked suddenly.  _ “It's not just a lie, right? You're not hiding anything, right?” _

 

Eren’s hand tightened against the phone as he swallowed thickly, his throat suddenly dry. She knew something and he didn't like that.

 

“What do you mean?”, he asked, glad that he could keep his voice calm.

 

_ “Eren, please, if there's something, anything, that's wrong, I want you to tell me”, _ she insisted, her voice getting desperate.

 

“Nothing is wrong. What are you-”

 

_ “But you're self-harming, right? That's not okay!”, _ Mikasa said.

 

Eren froze and his breath hitched. How did she know? She hadn't seen him in a while.

 

“I-I'm not. That's-”

 

_ “Armin told me”,  _ she revealed.  _ “You were at his house two weeks ago, right? He called me after you had left that he suspected that you were self-harming. He warned me not to say anything but I just can't not do that. Eren, I'm worried about you.” _

 

Eren was shaking and breathing a bit heavily as panic settled into his core. Of course, Armin hadn't believed his stupid story. Armin was smart like that and now he knew and so did Mikasa. They  _ knew _ what he was doing. He didn't want them to but now they did.

 

What would they think of him now? They would pity him, wouldn't they? Or maybe they would leave him? After all, who would want a friend that hurt themselves on purpose? That was just plain out weird.

 

Mikasa kept talking but he couldn't hear her as he started to panic and hyperventilate. The coffee shop was starting to get too small and constricted. He needed to get out.

 

He dropped his phone on the floor and ran out as fast as he could and didn't stop running until he was at the bridge. He was out of breath as he eyed the spot where he sat that evening that felt so long ago but it hadn't even been two months. So much had happened; good things and bad things.

 

But now he was here again.

 

He brushed snow off the railing and climbed up to sit on the spot. It was cold as he hadn't taken his jacket or anything with him.

 

But at least he could breathe normally now.

 

He looked down at the water. It went by fast, carrying small ice blocks, dried leaves and twigs occasionally. He could see some brief flashes of silver as the sunlight hit the scales of the few fishes that went by once in a while.

 

It must've been nice to be a fish, not having to worry about money, a job and relationships. No stress about the future or what others thought of you. It seemed nice.

 

Maybe he would be reborn as a fish if he drowned? Maybe even one of those beautiful colorful fish that they saw in the aquarium? He wouldn't want to be an aquarium fish though. He wanted to be free to explore the ocean.

 

Eren suddenly felt a flash of guilt as Levi suddenly popped in his head.

 

Levi would be sad if he died. He didn't want to make the man sad. He didn't want to leave Levi in the first place.

 

The brief thought that he wouldn't mind being Levi's aquarium fish passed his mind but he shook it off.

 

He had so many things he still wanted to do with Levi.

 

So after he had calmed down, he hopped down from the railing and walked back to the coffee shop. He was going to need to call Mikasa back and probably Armin also.

 

* * *

 

“I sat on the bridge today”, Eren confessed as they were snuggling up in bed that night.

 

Levi had been running his fingers through Eren's hair but that revelation made him stop.

 

“What happened?”, he asked carefully. He was glad that Eren wasn't going to hide it but it didn't make him worry any less. Especially after what happened that morning.

 

“I talked to Mikasa. When I ran away to Armin's place, he saw the bandages and figured I had been self-harming. He told Mikasa about it. I'm surprised she managed to hold off calling me until I called her. She can be such a worrywart sometimes”, Eren explained with a small chuckle before his face went neutral again. “I had planned on keeping it a secret from them until my grave so I...I panicked and things started to spiral a bit out of hand after that.”

 

“You ran to the bridge?”, Levi asked, resuming with running his fingers through Eren’s hair.

 

The brunet nodded. “I thought that I wouldn't mind being reborn as an aquarium fish if I was yours”, he said.

 

The logic of how Eren had thought of that went over Levi's head but he didn't question it.

 

“I don't want a fish. I want you just the way you are”, he said.

 

Eren chuckled softly. “I know but it was just a random thought”, he said.

 

“What made you step off the railing?”, Levi asked. He needed to know this above all else. What had made Eren not want to kill himself?

 

“I don't want to leave you”, Eren said and Levi heard his breath hitch a little. “I have so many things I still want to do and see with you. I still want to stay with you like this.”

 

“And you're going to. I won't let you just leave me like that”, Levi said firmly even as his chest was warmed up by the brunet's words.

 

Eren let out a soft laugh as he snuggled up closer to the short man.

 

He made the right choice today not to jump.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not sure how I feel about this chapter. I felt like it was a bit lame tbh...but thanks for reading! Comments and kudos keep me writing!


	38. Scars And Coffee

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, everyone! Here with a new chapter! As of right now, it looks like I might not be able to update next week. There's still a slight chance that I will manage to update but you shouldn't keep your hopes up since I've been having a bit of a writer's block this week. Also I realized that I need to start making some time-skips because after re-reading some stuff I noticed that there haven't been many of those...
> 
> Also on a positive note: we've hit 10k hits! That's awesome!
> 
> Anyway, enjoy~

Eren had broken his phone when he dropped it onto the floor so he had to get a new one before he could call Mikasa and Armin. He was sure that they were both freaking out as he was 99 % sure that Mikasa had called Armin after losing contact with him.

 

Before work, he stopped by the small electronics store that was a few blocks away from the apartment in the opposite direction of the coffee shop but he managed to open in time. Money had been another issue that came up with getting a new phone and Levi had offered to pay but Eren assured him that he could manage paying for it himself in installments.

 

Before any customers came in, he unpacked the phone, put his SIM card and charger in before turning it on. He had to put it down in the middle of doing all the basic start-up settings as the bell on top of the door chimed when someone walked into the coffee shop.

 

He plastered a smile on his face and turned to greet the customer but froze as he saw who it was.

 

“Eren!”, Mikasa shouted as she circled the counter to hug him.

 

“Mikasa!? What are you doing here!?”, he asked, both shocked and surprised, but still hugged her back.

 

“You went silent on the phone and then it just cut off. Then when I tried to call you, it didn't connect! Of course, I got worried!”, she said.

 

Eren felt bad because it was Tuesday and because of his stupid mistake, he made Mikasa miss school to travel to him.

 

“I'm sorry. I dropped my phone and it broke. I got a new one just now and I was going to call you and Armin as soon as I got it set up”, Eren said, the guilt clear in his voice.

 

Mikasa pulled away to look at his face.

 

“Please, don't do that ever again”, she said. “I got so scared that something bad had happened.”

 

“Sorry…”, Eren apologized. He wasn't planning on telling her that he had panicked so much that he considered jumping off of a bridge.

 

“It's okay as long as you are fine”, she said with a sigh. She took a step back from him to give him some space. Armin had given her a talk about giving Eren some space instead of smothering him after she had told the blond that she would be going to see Eren.

 

Eren nodded at that but refused to make eye contact as he knew that Mikasa was going to continue yesterday's talk. This time he couldn't just shut the call or drop the phone to make it end so he did his best to calm himself down. His heart still wouldn’t stop racing as he waited for Mikasa to say something.

 

“Eren, can I see your wrists?”, she asked softly.

 

Eren was expecting a speech or a lecture but not that. So he raised his eyes in surprise to the woman who was looking at him with a pleading gaze.

 

He bit his lip. He was self-conscious about the scars but who wouldn’t be? They weren’t exactly the nicest thing to look at and the fact that he had done those to himself made them even more unappealing.

 

Levi must’ve noticed that as he never said anything about them but occasionally gave his scarred wrists small kisses during sex. It was a nice gesture because that way Eren knew that Levi wasn’t disgusted by them.

 

However, he didn’t know how Mikasa would react but whether he refused or complied, if there was any doubt in her mind before, at that point she would know for sure that he was self-harming. After all, if he refused, it was obvious that he was hiding something and if he showed...well, she would see it herself.

 

He didn’t know which was worse. He didn’t want to show her the scars but if he didn't, she would probably worry more than if he did show them since she would know how bad they were instead of leaving it up to her imagination which had a tendency to run wild whenever it came to Eren.

 

He didn't want to make her worry more than she already did so, slowly and a bit reluctantly, he rolled both of his sleeves up. He didn’t dare to look up at her.

 

Mikasa's eyes widened and a soft gasp left her lips as she saw his forearms.

 

He hadn't self-harmed after that time two weeks ago at Levi's apartment but the scars from the previous times never seemed to fade completely. The newer ones were pink and more prominent than the older ones which were very light pink, almost white, stripes against his tanned skin.

 

“Oh, Eren”, she said sympathetically before pulling him back into a hug. “There's so many. I'm sorry we didn't notice sooner.”

 

Eren hugged her back and didn't mention that he had a few more barely noticeable scars on his thighs. He preferred his forearm over any place else so it wouldn't be much anyways. He wasn't sure if even Levi had noticed them, or if he had, he hadn't just mentioned them which was very likely.

 

“You don't need to apologize. It's not your fault”, the brunet said. “I didn't let you notice them because I didn't want you to see them and know that I…”

 

Mikasa hugged him tighter when he trailed off.

 

“How long has this been going on?”, she asked.

 

Eren hesitated to tell her but what was there to lose anymore?

 

“Since a little while after mom died”, he said softly.

 

Mikasa pulled away from the hug to look him in the eyes like she was expecting him to say that it was just a joke or something.

 

“Eren, that was  _ two years _ ago”, she said in disbelief.

 

The brunet shrunk in on himself. “I know.”

 

Her gaze softened as she saw him looking so ashamed and vulnerable. She couldn't remember a time that she had seen him like that and it made her incredibly sad.

 

“Have you at least gotten some help?”, Mikasa asked carefully.

 

“I've been going to a therapist for the past few weeks.”

 

“And before that?”

 

“...”

 

Mikasa sighed softly. She wanted to pull him into yet another hug but she remembered Armin's advice and took a step back.

 

“What made you finally get help after two years?”, she inquired.

 

Eren smiled softly. “Levi.”

 

Mikasa hummed. She still wasn't fine with Eren dating a guy so much older than him but looking at what the brunet just said, Levi has done more for Eren in such a short amount of time than Mikasa and Armin have done for him in years. She had to give the man some credit. At least, it seemed like he was taking care of Eren.

 

“I want to meet Levi”, the woman decided. “Properly.”

 

Eren blinked a few times in both surprise and confusion before he fully processed what Mikasa just said.

 

“I'd have to ask Levi when that would be okay”, he said.

 

“Then call him”, Mikasa said.

 

“But he's at work. I don't want to-”

 

The bell chimed as a customer walked in so Eren cut himself off.

 

“We will discuss this a bit later, okay?”, he said, pushing Mikasa lightly towards one of the tables. “You just go sit down and I will bring you your favourite cappuccino.”

 

He then turned to the customer and got to work.

 

* * *

 

The bell chimed at around noon as Eren was finishing a drink to one of the customers.

 

He briefly turned to greet the new customer but froze as he saw who it was. He didn't notice that it was already lunchtime and it had kind of slipped his mind that Levi would be coming there as he had been occupied with Mikasa when there weren't customers.

 

However, Levi wasn't what surprised him most. It was Erwin following him that made him freeze.

 

“You seem surprised”, Levi commented with a soft chuckle.

 

That made Eren snap out of his surprise, his cheeks gaining color.

 

“Uh...Hi, Levi and Erwin”, he greeted. “I'll get to you in just a moment.”

 

Eren took the finished coffee to a middle-aged lady who had a young girl with her, the child sipping on an apple juice box.

 

“There you go”, he said with a smile that the woman returned.

 

He returned behind the counter to address Levi and Erwin.

 

“This is quite a surprise”, Eren said.

 

“What? I come here every day. You'd think it had lost the surprise element by now”, Levi couldn’t help but tease, leaning on the counter.

 

Eren rolled his eyes. “Not you.”

 

Erwin let out a short chuckle. “I came here to check the place out. Levi told you about his idea already, right?”

 

“Oh, yes, he did”, Eren answered with a nod. “So what will you have?”

 

Erwin eyed the menu for a moment. “I will have the French press.” He then gestured to the pastry display. “Do you make those or are they purchased elsewhere?”

 

“The cakes come from the bakery down the street and most pastries are made with premade dough but otherwise I make them myself”, Eren said.

 

Erwin hummed. “Which ones have you made from start to finish?”

 

“All the muffins and the apple pie.”

 

“Then I will also take a slice of the apple pie”, the blond said.

 

“Okay so anything else?”, Eren asked.

 

“Erwin is paying for my coffee also”, Levi said. “And we're staying here to drink.”

 

“That's unusual”, Eren said.

 

“Yeah, Erwin wants ‘the whole experience’”, Levi said, making air quotes with his fingers.

 

“I'm right here, you know?”, Erwin said with an amused huff.

 

“Oh, I totally didn't notice”, Levi replied sarcastically.

 

The blond just rolled his eyes at his friend.

 

“But what about your lunch though? Shouldn't you then have something to eat too?”, Eren asked the short man.

 

“Don't worry. I'm counting this as work. He will have his lunch break afterwards”, Erwin assured.

 

The brunet nodded. “Okay, so one French press, a slice of apple pie and a black coffee. That's all?”

 

“Yes”, Erwin said as he took out his wallet to pay.

 

“That will make 2,90€”, Eren said.

 

Erwin furrowed his brows. He glanced between Levi and Eren briefly before looking at the prices on the menu before looking back at Levi.

 

“You weren't lying when you said it was cheap”, he said.

 

“Why would I lie about that?”, Levi snapped.

 

Erwin just shrugged before handing Eren the money.

 

“Take a seat. I will bring them to you in just a bit”, the brunet said before getting to work.

 

Levi and Erwin sat down and it was only then that the short man noticed that he was being stared at.

 

He raised an eyebrow at the young woman. He remembered seeing her in the coffee shop before. She was Eren's friend...Mikasa, was it?

 

“Is there something you want?”, Levi asked, briefly confusing Erwin before the blond noticed the black haired young woman looking their way.

 

“You're Levi, right?”, Mikasa asked, although, she already knew.

 

“Yes.”

 

“Mikasa, please, not right now”, Eren sighed before Mikasa could say anything more.

 

She quieted down and turned back to her phone.

 

“Do you know her?”, Erwin asked quietly.

 

“Not really. I just know that she's Eren's friend”, Levi answered back just as quietly, the blond nodding in understanding.

 

Eren was soon done with their order and brought the two cups of coffee and the slice of apple pie to their table.

 

“Enjoy”, he said and was about to leave before Levi grabbed his wrist.

 

He turned to look at the short man with a questioning look.

 

“Come here. I have a secret to tell you”, Levi said.

 

The brunet was confused but still leaned over.

 

“Thank you. I love you”, Levi whispered before pecking the other's cheek.

 

Eren blushed but he still had a bright grin on his face as he returned gesture and murmured a soft “I love you too” to Levi before heading back behind the counter.

 

“We didn't come here so you could flirt”, Erwin said with amusement.

 

“I can't help it. The barista here is just too cute”, Levi replied with a shrug.

 

Eren's face only got redder and his grin grew at those words. He dared to take a peek at Levi, only to turn away as he saw those silver eyes looking at him intently.

 

“Now if you're done having eye sex with Eren, that would be great”, Erwin said quietly, being mindful of the fact that there was a little girl in the coffee shop not too far from them.

 

Levi just scoffed as he focused back on the blond before taking a sip of his coffee.

 

Erwin tasted his coffee and the apple pie, keeping his face neutral, and Levi wouldn't admit it but he was waiting for what his boss thought. It wasn't even his coffee shop but he just wanted his idea to work out for Eren. He wanted to put the brunet's mind at ease.

 

“It is good, like you said”, Erwin said but he continued before Levi could get too hopeful. “But is it worth the extra cost? I'm not too sure.”

 

“Of course, it is”, Levi said without hesitation.

 

“You're biased.”

 

Levi rolled his eyes. “If you can't see the clear difference between this and that shit in there, there's something wrong with your tastebuds.”

 

“As I said, it's good but we have to think about the cost”, Erwin said. “Yes, it's quality coffee at a cheap cost but it still amounts to more than what just buying coffee grounds for the coffee machine does.”

 

“But-”

 

Erwin silenced Levi by putting up his hand. “I'm not done yet.”

 

The short man huffed before going back to his cup of coffee while listening to the blond.

 

“Also there hasn't been complaints about the coffee before”, Erwin said. “Even you were fine with it for years.”

 

“Because there wasn't a better option”, Levi grumbled before glancing at Eren who was conversing with Mikasa. “Now there is.”

 

Erwin sighed. “Look, I understand you want to help Eren but not only does the cost go up but we'd have to figure out a lot of things like the delivery system”, he said. “From what I've seen, he works alone so how would he be able to deliver coffee to four to five hundred people.”

 

“Of course, we'd need to start small; have him only handle our floor as a test run before figuring out how to handle the rest of the building”, Levi reasoned. “We could have the interns helping with the coffee delivery actually, right? Since most of them are being useless most of the day anyway.”

 

Erwin hummed as he thought of that before turning in his seat to Eren.

 

“Eren, do you have a moment?”

 

The brunet was wiping the table where the middle-aged lady with her daughter had been previously sitting at and he looked up at the blond before nodding.

 

“What is it?”, he asked as he approached their table.

 

“Sit down. It's easier to talk that way”, Erwin said.

 

Eren did as told, briefly glancing at Levi before looking back at the blond again.

 

“So we've been discussing Levi’s proposition and I'd like your input on the matter”, Erwin explained. “How many coffees would you be able to deliver in one go?”

 

Eren thought about it briefly. “Umm...If it's just the normal coffee, I could deliver that in a thermal jug. I have one 5 litre one so that would make around 20 to 25 cups. I could also just deliver in cups but the amount would be less as I don’t have proper means to deliver them that way as of now”, he said.

 

“We were thinking to have a test run of how this would work with just one floor but just the top floor has 30 people”, the blond said.

 

“You were thinking to have the delivery for the coffee break, right? Since only a few drink coffee during lunch”, Levi interrupted. “But you're forgetting that there are people that drink tea or something instead of coffee during break so there's not exactly 30 people.”

 

“Levi, it's okay if it doesn't work”, Eren said, taking a hold of Levi's hand.

 

“But it might if we just give it a try”, Levi said, squeezing Eren's hand while his eyes remained on Erwin.

 

The blond sighed at the look in Levi's eyes before giving a nod. “Okay, we can try”, he relented, turning his gaze to the brunet. “Our coffee break is at around 2 PM, could you make it today or will it have to be tomorrow?”

 

“I can do it today”, Eren said confidently. He was still feeling like he hadn't earned this chance but he pushed that thought in the back of his mind. He wanted to give this a try, at least.

 

After a bit more discussion, Levi and Erwin left.

 

Eren took out the thermos jug and started cleaning it before Mikasa spoke.

 

“What was that all about?”, she asked.

 

“Oh, Levi had this idea that I could provide coffee for the company”, Eren explained. “It would help with the coffee shop.”

 

“That sounds like it's going to be hard, considering how big the company is. How are you supposed to handle that alone?”, Mikasa asked.

 

“I don't know but we'll see. It's only a test for now”, Eren answered.

 

The woman hummed in acknowledgement. “What brought that idea up?”

 

Eren froze in his cleaning only momentarily but it was enough for Mikasa to see.

 

“Eren, what happened? Are you in debt? Is that why you need more money?”

 

“No, no, that's not it”, the brunet assured quickly. “It's just…” He bit his lip. “I saw my father on Sunday.”

 

Mikasa understood what that meant. “He talked shit about your coffee shop again?”

 

“Yes, but that's not all”, Eren said, starting to tremble slightly from the memory. “He insulted mom also...and he found out about me dating Levi.”

 

“He didn't take it well, did he?”, the young woman asked.

 

She only received silence as an answer but that was enough for her to understand. She walked up to the brunet and gave him a hug.

 

“I'm sorry. You really don't need to deal with his shit on top of everything.”

 

“Why are you apologizing? It's not your fault that my father hates me and that everything I do is a disappointment to him”, Eren said, taking comfort in the hug.

 

“I’m sure he doesn't hate you”, Mikasa said. “If he hated you, he would ignore you.”

 

“Maybe you're right”, Eren mumbled but he didn't quite believe it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I thought long and hard how I was going to make the coffee delivery work, especially in the beginning, since Eren's only one person and he alone can only do so much without some proper equipment so I ended up doing it like this for now. I'm not sure if I'm liking it but it is what it is, I guess.
> 
> Thank you for reading! Comments and kudos are the best!


	39. Business And Friends

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, everyone! I didn't think I would update this week but I got a sudden burst of energy/motivation to write yesterday and ended up writing two chapters of this so yeah, you're getting a chapter this week after all!
> 
> Also, I'd like to give a special thanks to KurahieiritrJIO (Hope I wrote that write...) for giving me an idea of how to improve the coffee delivery thing (Yes, that's very good english right there). Their idea was much better than what I had planned originally so really, thank you so much!
> 
> But anyway, enjoy~

Eren delivered the coffee to the company as agreed. It was hard as he didn't think how much the thermal jug would weigh but he managed.

 

When he went back later to get the thermal jug back, Erwin asked if he could do it again the next day as people had been pleased with the change.

 

Since then it became a routine. He would fill the thermal jug with coffee and take it to the break room on the top floor of the company and go get it back later. It was almost a week of that before he managed to get hold of a sturdy rolling cart so he could not only increase the amount that he could deliver but also deliver different types of coffee drinks and pastries. Of course, the company would only pay for the cost of the normal coffee and the workers who ordered something else paid it out of their own pocket.

 

But with the increase in what he could deliver with the rolling cart, Erwin asked him if he wanted to and could handle another floor and after discussing it with Levi and getting another thermal jug, he said yes.

 

Eren shouldn’t have been surprised that it was the floor that Hanji worked on.

 

“You’re bringing us coffee!? Why haven’t I been told that this would happen!?”, they exclaimed after Eren explained what he was doing there.

 

“Uh…”

 

“Hanji, let the boy do his job”, a light brown haired man sighed. Eren guessed he was Moblit: the so-called “babysitter” of Hanji’s.

 

The brunette pouted but let Eren do his job.

 

He set one of the jugs on the table in the break room with a note from Erwin attached to it explaining what was going on before heading back to the elevators to take the rest to the top floor.

 

“I want a slice of apple pie too tomorrow!”, Hanji cried after him.

 

“Sure”, Eren answered with a smile before getting into the elevator.

 

It was a lot of work but, overall, it was a working system. It would take some time until he could even think to try to cover the whole company building but Eren was happy with just the two top floors.

 

He was getting income from the company and some of Levi's coworkers started stopping by in the mornings to get a coffee on their way to work after realizing that just because the exterior of the building was like that, didn’t mean the coffee was bad.

 

Eren didn't know most of the new people that came in by name but he had seen them during his coffee delivery. Levi's close friends also came by every once in a while. Petra, especially, liked to come by before work to get herself a vanilla latte, sometimes dragging Oluo with her.

 

Of course, just the fact that the amount of customers per day increased, didn't mean that the coffee shop was suddenly popular in any way but he was getting a better and more steady flow of income and he was more than happy with just that. It meant that his business could still have a future instead of falling apart within the next year or so. That relieved, at least, some of Eren’s stress and he had to thank Levi for that.

 

* * *

 

It was now the 5th of December, a Sunday, and Eren was making lunch for four.

 

Mikasa had wanted to properly meet Levi but that had to wait for a few weeks due to her school and Eren and Levi's work. Once Armin heard that Mikasa was going to have lunch with the couple, of course, he insisted to be included.

 

“It's always our Sundays”, Levi groaned as he came into the kitchen. “Is it so much to ask that we'd have one whole day in the week for just us?”

 

Eren chuckled. “We had last Sunday all to ourselves, didn't we?”

 

“Yeah, but only because I didn't let Hanji and company in here after the previous two Sundays”, Levi grumbled before wrapping his arms around Eren's waist from behind.

 

“It's fun having lunch or dinner with more people every once in a while”, Eren said, placing one hand over Levi's while he flipped the fish fillets on the pan using the other.

 

“It's not fun with just me?”, Levi whispered mischievously before nipping at the brunet’s neck.

 

A shiver ran down Eren's spine. “Levi, I'm working the stove right now”, he complained.

 

“Don't mind me”, Levi said as he bit onto Eren's neck again while his hands wandered over the young man’s abdomen and hips before slipping under his shirt.

 

“Levi!”, Eren hissed as he grabbed hold of Levi’s wrists. “We can't do this now. They could be here any minute now.”

 

Levi sighed as he went back to just hugging the brunet from behind. Eren was right and he didn't want to push the other too much.

 

As if on cue the doorbell chimed.

 

“I can go get it. You focus on the food”, Levi said as he separated from the brunet.

 

“But they're my friends so wouldn't it be better if I opened the door?”, Eren asked.

 

“I want to make a good impression”, Levi said. “Besides, it's better if you stay with the food.”

 

Eren chuckled at that lightly as he knew that Levi wasn't that great with food. “Okay, you go then.”

 

Levi smiled and pressed a quick kiss onto Eren's cheek before hurrying to the door.

 

“Sorry that it took a while. Come in”, Levi said as he opened the door, seeing Mikasa and who he assumed was Armin behind it.

 

“It's alright”, Armin assured as he stepped in before offering a handshake. “I'm Armin Arlert. It's nice to meet you.”

 

“Levi Ackerman”, Levi said as he returned the handshake. “It's nice to meet you too.”

 

“Wait, your last name is Ackerman?”, Armin asked.

 

“Yes? What about it?”, Levi questioned with a furrowed brow. Was there something wrong with that?

 

“Well...umm…” Armin nudged at Mikasa.

 

“I'm Mikasa Ackerman”, she said, looking him up and down.

 

“Oh”, Levi mumbled. “That's quite a coincidence but it's nice to meet you too.”

 

He offered his hand to her but she just looked at it for a while before Armin nudged her side again.

 

She sighed and accepted the brief handshake.

 

Levi didn't know what to think. This hadn't really started the way he had thought.

 

After taking their outerwear off, they followed Levi further into the apartment.

 

“Eren's in the kitchen finishing-”

 

Before the short man could finish his sentence, Mikasa walked past him into the kitchen and straight to Eren.

 

“Eren, you didn't tell me that he had the same last name as me”, Mikasa said.

 

“Eh? Oh, hi, Mikasa”, Eren greeted lamely, surprised by what the woman said.

 

“Mikasa! You promised to behave!”, Armin scolded before turning to Levi. “I'm so sorry about her.”

 

“It's fine”, Levi assured. But he was also curious about the same last name thing. After all, his family was very close with all of their relatives but he hadn't seen Mikasa before.

 

“I just thought that it was a coincidence? That it's a popular last name, you know?”, Eren explained as he turned the stove off.

 

“It's not really”, Levi said. “It's only really our family which is why it's weird that I haven't seen her before.”

 

“I don't think you will figure it out today so isn't it better to just leave it be?”, Armin suggested.

 

Mikasa nodded and Levi hummed as an answer.

 

“So, Eren, what are you making?”, the blond asked before an awkward silence could settle over them.

 

“Tilapia with oven-roasted potatoes and green beans”, Eren said before peeking into the oven to see if the potatoes were ready.

 

“That sounds good”, Mikasa commented.

 

“It will be ready in a bit”, Eren informed. “Levi, could you go set the table?”

 

“Oh, I can help with that”, Armin offered.

 

“Okay, good, thanks”, Eren said.

 

Levi instructed Armin where things were as they set the table.

 

“It's been too long since I've had a meal cooked by Eren”, Armin sighed dramatically. “Brings back memories.”

 

“He used to cook for you a lot?”, Levi asked.

 

“Yeah, after Mikasa and I came home from high school, we would sometimes stop by the coffee shop to eat”, the blond explained. “I only have my grandpa and he was at the hospital a lot at the time and Mikasa's parents were at work so we rather ate with our friends than alone at home.”

 

“Eren didn't go to school with you?”, Levi asked. He hadn't really asked Eren about his educational background since it seemed a bit touchy because of his father.

 

“No, he went to a vocational school instead of high school as he knew he wanted to work at the coffee shop with his mom”, Armin said before a sad smile rose onto his lips. “But his mother died before he even finished school.”

 

A heavy silence settled over them as they finished setting the table before Eren called from the kitchen.

 

“Food's ready!”

 

Levi and Armin went into the kitchen and filled their plates along with Eren and Mikasa before they settled down to eat. Eren and Levi sat next to each other with Armin and Mikasa on the other side.

 

“I already asked Mikasa but how have you been, Armin?”, Eren asked.

 

Armin groaned. “So tired. University is so much harder than high school.”

 

Eren chuckled at that. “It's refreshing to finally see that school's actually giving you a challenge”, he teased.

 

“What are you talking about? High school gave me a challenge too!”

 

“Yeah, right, Mr. Straight A's”, Mikasa huffed.

 

Armin scoffed, trying to seem offended but couldn't erase his smile.

 

Levi was content just watching the three friends joking around and catching up with each other. Especially, since Eren was laughing and smiling a lot.

 

“So, Levi, what do you do for work?”, Armin suddenly asked him.

 

“Hm? Oh, I’m an executive at a company”, Levi answered.

 

“Wait, is it the same company that Eren does coffee deliveries for? Survey Corps?”

 

“Yes”, Eren answered before looking at Levi with a grateful smile. “It was his idea and it has helped me out a lot.”

 

“You know, I will do anything I can to help and support you”, Levi said, taking hold of Eren's hand while looking into his eyes.

 

“And you've done more than enough. I'm so lucky to have such a perfect boyfriend”, Eren said.

 

“No, I'm the lucky one”, Levi insisted.

 

Mikasa cleared her throat to snap them out of their own world before they started making out or something.

 

Eren blushed as he realized that he had gotten too caught up in Levi.

 

The short man just let out an amused huff before he focused back on the other two; Mikasa looking displeased and Armin trying to hide his smile.

 

“What are you two studying?”, he asked casually, like he hadn't just escaped into his own world with Eren.

 

“I'm studying to become a doctor”, Armin answered first.

 

“Why is that?”, Levi asked.

 

“Well, because of my grandpa, I've been to the hospital a lot and I appreciate everything that they do to help people. I want to be like that too”, the blond said.

 

“That's an admirable goal.”

 

“Thanks.”

 

Levi turned to Mikasa. “What about you?”

 

“I'm studying to become a PE teacher”, she said.

 

“Mikasa has always been the sportiest one of us three”, Eren said with a chuckle.

 

“You weren't so bad either. You just used most of your energy picking fights”, Mikasa reminded.

 

“Eren fought a lot as a child?”, Levi inquired, raising a brow at the brunet.

 

“Yeah, he would constantly get into fights”, Armin said before shrugging. “But it was usually with the school bullies so, at least, his heart was in the right place.”

 

“They deserved it and no one ever got badly hurt or anything”, Eren defended.

 

“Yeah, but that was only thanks to Mikasa. If she hadn't come in when she did, you would've gotten beaten up badly so many times”, Armin said.

 

“No, I wouldn't!”, Eren claimed. “And we're getting off topic. The point was that Mikasa is strong and sporty.”

 

“And I could take the shorty on”, Mikasa muttered, staring at Levi.

 

“Mikasa!”, Eren hissed.

 

Levi's eye twitched. “Oh, could you now?”, he challenged with a raised brow. “Sorry, but I don't feel like beating up a little brat.”

 

“Levi, not you too!”, Eren whined.

 

Levi and Mikasa ignored him as they glared at each other.

 

“Mikasa, stop. Remember what I said about trying to get along?”, Armin said.

 

“I can't. He still is far too old for Eren”, she insisted.

 

“Mikasa…”, Armin sighed.

 

“Even you understand that, don't you?”, Mikasa said. “He just called me a brat and if I'm a little kid to him, so is Eren! So if he's dating a little kid, what does that make him?”

 

“Mikasa, that's enough!”, Eren yelled, standing up suddenly and slamming his hands on the table. “One more fucking bad word about Levi and I'm kicking you out!”

 

“Eren, you don't understand-”

 

_ “I  _ don't understand?  _ You _ don't understand!”, the brunet said. “I haven't been this happy for years now! And it's all because of Levi! What part of that don't you understand?”

 

“Eren, I-”

 

“I showed you my wrists, didn't I? You saw how scarred they were and that was because I used to cut myself regularly but now I haven't done so for over a month. Do you have any idea why that is?”, Eren asked but he didn't give the woman time to answer. “It's all because of Levi. The reason why I'm still here in the first place is all thanks to Levi so don't you dare-”

 

His tirade got cut off by a sob and it was only then that he noticed that he was crying.

 

Levi was quick to pull him into an embrace, petting his head and patting his back.

 

Eren wrapped his arms around Levi and buried his face in the short man's shoulder.

 

“Eren, I'm sorry. I just…”, Mikasa said ashamedly, trailing off at the end as she was lost for words.

 

“Eren, what do you mean that you’re still here only because of Levi?”, Armin asked with wide eyes. He could guess what Eren meant but he wanted to be wrong; wanted there to be a misunderstanding or something.

 

Eren tightened his hold on Levi, silently trying to tell the man to tell them.

 

Thankfully, Levi understood. “Want me to tell?”

 

Eren nodded against his shoulder.

 

Levi pressed a kiss to the top of the brunet's head before looking at the other two.

 

“Eren has tried to kill himself”, he said, feeling an ache in his chest at those words. “Or at least, been prepared to do so.”

 

Silence took over the apartment, Eren's soft sobs and sniffles being the only sound.

 

Armin wanted to ask more details and he was sure that so did Mikasa, but they both knew this wasn't the time to quench their curiosity. It wasn't their business in the first place. All that mattered was that Eren was still alive.

 

No one dared to speak or move as they waited for Eren to calm down. It took a while but he eventually did, taking a deep but shaky breath before lifting his face from the safety of Levi’s shoulder.

 

Once the brunet had separated from the black haired man, Mikasa wasted no time as she stood up and circled the table before pulling Eren into a tight embrace.

 

“Sorry”, she whispered. “I'm so sorry.”

 

“It's not your fault”, Eren said softly.

 

“But we’re your friends! We should've been there for you! We should've noticed something was wrong!”, Mikasa insisted, tightening her hold on Eren. “We could’ve lost you.”

 

It bordering on painful, but the brunet didn't mind. He only patted her back, hoping to reassure her that he was fine and it wasn't their responsibility to make sure that he was okay.

 

“Mikasa is right”, Armin said, sounding ashamed. “We should've seen that you weren't alright; that you were struggling so much.”

 

Eren was starting to regret letting them know. He didn't want them to feel guilty just because he was a mess on the inside.

 

“Eren already said that it's not your fault so there's no point in feelings guilty. You can't change the past anyways”, Levi said. “Besides, he's been getting better.”

 

Sure, Eren considered ending his life not too long ago but he had stopped himself on his own. That was progress, right? At least, that was how it seemed to Levi and he was so proud of the young man for it.

 

Armin and Mikasa looked like they wanted to say something but refrained from doing so.

 

The rest of the time was spent with them talking in the living room. Mikasa didn't seem as hostile towards Levi as before. Levi dared to think that she seemed a bit accepting of him even.

 

Eren had long since stopped sniffling but his face still showed obvious signs of his crying, not that anyone commented on it. He still wasn't back to his bubbly, excited chatter even by the time that Armin and Mikasa had to leave but they understood.

 

He hugged them both goodbye, the two promising to keep in contact better, before they left.

 

Eren felt exhausted, emotionally more so than physically, which was why he was grateful when Levi took his hand and led him to the couch.

 

They settled down to watch the TV with Eren leaning against Levi's shoulder while the short man had his arm wrapped comfortably on his waist.

 

He ended up dozing off and later woke up to Levi peppering kisses on his face to gently wake him up for dinner.

 

The short man had ordered pizza for them and they ate on the couch while watching a movie in comfortable silence.

 

The day had been exhausting but Levi had found a way to make it perfect and Eren fell asleep happily that night, snuggled up in Levi's warmth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! Comments and kudos are always greatly appreciated!


	40. Presents And Embarrassment

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, everyone! I'm here with another chapter~ Once again, I'm not sure if I will be able to update next week as I haven't been writing all that much this week but we will see. Also it's close to 3 AM and I'm tired af now that I'm editing this chapter so there might be more mistakes than usually but hopefully not too many...
> 
> Also we're now at 40 chapter! Oh god, what am I doing? I need a life!
> 
> *cough cough* But anyway, enjoy~

It was the 20th of December and Eren was stressed out. It was only a few days before Christmas and also Levi's birthday and he had no idea what to get his boyfriend.

 

Levi had assured him that it was fine if he got nothing and was more than happy with just spending time with Eren but the brunet wasn't satisfied with that. He wanted to get something for the older man.

 

But the problem was that Eren didn't know what Levi wanted and anything that Eren could afford, Levi could more than easily get himself if he so wished.

 

He sighed in frustration as he went through the aisles in the store. He had taken the bus after work to the city, Armin and Mikasa tagging along as their Christmas holiday had started.

 

“I'm sure you will find something”, Armin reassured as he noticed how disheartened Eren was becoming the more they searched.

 

“But there's nothing I could get him that he couldn't get himself”, Eren sighed.

 

“Then get him something he wouldn't get for himself but would still like. Something personalized”, Armin suggested.

 

“Yeah, but what would that be?”, Eren asked, the question more directed at himself than anyone else.

 

“Well, if you can't think of anything material, you could give him something physical”, Armin said.

 

Both Eren and Mikasa looked at him, one flustered and the other horrified.

 

“Armin, you aren't suggesting sex as a gift, right?”, Mikasa asked, looking at the blond like he had something gross on his face.

 

“No, of course not!”, Armin huffed. “I mean, that's an option too but I was thinking more of a massage or something. He has a stressful job after all, right?”

 

Eren nodded slowly as he thought of that. It was a good idea. He wanted to pamper his boyfriend on his birthday as much as he could but he wasn't sure if he would be any good.

 

“I don't know if I can do that. I haven't given anyone a massage before”, he murmured, already ready to give up the idea.

 

“It will be fine”, Armin assured. “It's not that hard and I'm sure he would appreciate just you trying even if it wasn't perfect.”

 

Eren still didn't seem convinced.

 

“I can teach you how to do it”, Mikasa offered. As much as she didn't want to think about Eren giving Levi a massage, she wanted Eren to be happy and if doing something nice for his boyfriend made the brunet happy, Mikasa would offer her help.

 

“Oh, that's a great idea! I can be your assistant!”, Armin said.

 

Eren rolled his eyes. “You just want a massage from Mikasa because you know that she's great at that.”

 

“Hey! It's like killing two birds with one stone! We help you out and I get a massage!”, the blond defended.

 

Mikasa and Eren both laughed at their short friend's enthusiasm and agreed to the plan.

 

However, Eren still wanted to get something more for Levi and his eyes drifted to the coffee mugs that they passed. Levi loved coffee and one could never have too many mugs.

 

There were mugs that had text and then ones with pictures and patterns. Eren thought about getting one with a simple pattern on it but his eyes landed on a mug that said “best boyfriend ever” inside a dotted heart outline.

 

It was so cheesy and felt cliche but Eren wanted to get it for Levi so he took the mug carefully and placed it in their shopping cart.

 

He also got a bottle of massage oil, mild lavender scented candles and the obligatory ugly Christmas sweater. Armin also gave him one more gift idea while Mikasa was out of hearing range but, thankfully, Eren didn’t have to buy anything more since he already should have the needed stuff for that. Although, he wasn’t sure if it was a great idea and if Levi would even like it.

 

When he got home, Eren was glad that Levi was in the shower so he could hide the gifts. He would have to wrap them tomorrow before Levi came home.

 

Once he was done hiding the gifts among the other presents for his friends, he went into the kitchen and Levi emerged from the bathroom at the same time.

 

“Oh, you're home”, Levi said with mild surprise as he came up to the brunet to give him a kiss. “Sorry, I didn't hear you. Welcome home.”

 

“It's okay”, Eren said, pressing another kiss onto his lips. “Did you eat already?”

 

“Just a quick snack. I was waiting for you to come home so we could have dinner together”, Levi answered.

 

“You shouldn't have. It's already so late.”

 

“I wanted to.”

 

Eren could only sigh before he went to get the leftovers from yesterday's dinner out so they could eat them.

 

They talked about their respective days, Levi not having much to say as nothing really happened but Eren was always eager to listen.

 

“So did you find something?”, Levi asked. He knew Eren went out to get him a gift as the brunet had said so.

 

“I did”, Eren said. “But I'm not sure how good it is.”

 

“No matter what it is, I'm sure I'll love it”, Levi assured without hesitation.

 

Eren just gave a noncommittal hum in answer.

 

“By the way, should I get something for your family too?”, he asked.

 

They were going to Levi's mother's house on the 23rd since there hadn't been a better time to meet the man's family before.

 

“Not really. You can if you really want to but they will take no offense if you don't since you haven't even met them”, Levi said.

 

Eren nodded. “But I still feel like I should get something for your mother, at least”, he pondered.

 

“My mother is easy to please when it comes to presents. She will be happy with whatever you decide to get her”, Levi said.

 

“That's good to hear”, Eren said with a soft, relieved sigh.

 

They fell into a comfortable silence as they were finishing dinner.

 

Eren was scanning the room and it occurred to him that they had near to no Christmas decorations around. The only Christmassy thing they had were the Christmas lights on the living room window. He then realized that they were missing something important.

 

“Levi, we need to get a Christmas tree”, the brunet said as he turned back to Levi.

 

“No”, the older man refused. “It will make a mess and will just be thrown out afterwards. Besides, where do you think that would fit?”

 

“It can be just a small fake one but please, please, please, can we get a Christmas tree?”, Eren pleaded, giving Levi his best puppy eyes. He knew Levi couldn't say no to him if he asked like that. That face should've been illegal.

 

“Fine”, he relented and he couldn't say he regretted it once the brunet hopped up from his seat and basically bounced onto his lap, giving him a kiss and the brightest of smiles.

 

“Thank you”, Eren said before pressing small kisses onto his cheeks before pulling back with a hopeful expression. “And you will decorate it with me?”

 

“Of course”, Levi said with a chuckle, gaining more kisses for his answer.

 

However, those innocent kisses soon turned to something more lustful and desire-driven when Eren start gyrating his hips on his lap as they deepened the kiss.

 

Levi let out a groan and didn't hesitate to grab hold of the brunet’s butt, kneading those soft globes with his hands. In response, he gained an appreciative moan from the young man on his lap.

 

“Levi”, Eren sighed against his lips as he grinded their hips together.

 

Levi couldn't help but imagine the young man riding his cock in that moment and the thought of that was incredibly arousing.

 

“We should take this to the bedroom”, he whispered, not wanting to test how much movement and weight the kitchen chairs could handle.

 

Eren gave him one more kiss before getting up, taking his hand to pull him up with him before hastily walking to the bedroom.

 

They didn't waste time as they were on each other before the bedroom was even closed. Not that there was a huge need to close it in the first place.

 

Levi shoved his hands underneath Eren’s t-shirt and sweater, pulling both off of the brunet in one go before his own shirt was slipped off. Next were their pants, underwear and socks before they were both fully naked, completely bared for each other’s eyes only.

 

He pushed Eren to lay down on the mattress before he got the lube and the condoms. He couldn't help but give those soft, tanned thighs a few bites as he got in between them, sucking on one spot to make a hickey that only he would see, the brunet letting out a soft whimper when Levi’s hair tickled at his erection. 

 

The man gave a small kiss to the forming bruise as he retreated and poured some lube on his fingers, warming it up between the digits before pushing one into Eren.

 

It didn't take long until he could add a second and a third finger, the younger trying to muffle his whines as Levi was purposely giving only the slightest touch to his prostate. It was driving him insane.

 

“Stop with the teasing”, Eren whined softly.

 

“But you're getting so turned on, aren't you?”, Levi said with a low, seductive voice. “You actually love it, don't you?”

 

Eren moaned out a long “yes” when the other finally pressed on his prostate.

 

“B-but I have work tomorrow and n-need to be able to walk and- ngh...you know what happens every time y-you spend too much time teasing me”, he said.

 

“You start begging and I can't hold back”, Levi said with chuckle before retrieving his fingers and putting on a condom. He rubbed the excess lube on his hand onto his erection before taking one of their pillows to place underneath the brunet’s hips.

 

Eren sighed as he felt Levi line up, spreading his legs a little further as the hard member pushed into him, accompanied by small back and forth thrusts as he went deeper, filling him just right.

 

“Fuck, you're so hot and tight around me”, Levi whispered as he ran his hands over Eren's sides and hips before arranging those spread legs so that both were on his shoulders before leaning down to capture Eren's lips with his.

 

He started with slow, shallow thrusts before starting to gain more momentum, the moans and whimpers from Eren urging him on.

 

The brunet was conscious of how much louder he was than usual so he pulled Levi back to him so he could muffle his noises with the kiss.

 

Levi wanted to hear Eren but he didn't mind the kiss as he continued his rhythm, nailing the brunet's sweet spot on every thrust. He realized how he could get deeper like this and he was sure that Eren noticed it too if the pleasured noises were anything to go by.

 

“Mmhm...L-Levi...Haah...S-so good”, the young man moaned as their lips parted for a moment, his blunt nails clawing Levi’s undercut, nape and upper back.

 

Levi loved the feeling of Eren scratching him, leaving those red lines on his skin even if for a short moment. It drove him to nip and suck on the other’s neck, leaving marks onto that beautiful, sun-kissed skin as their hips kept moving together, the brunet pushing back against his thrusts.

 

After Levi was happy with his work on Eren’s neck, he returned back to kiss the young man. However, he was positively surprised when he gave one particularly strong thrust to Eren's prostate and the brunet separated from the kiss to scream out a loud moan before he came over his stomach without either of them touching his cock.

 

The sight, the thought and the feel of Eren tightening around Levi was all that was needed for him to follow in just a couple more thrusts.

 

Levi let Eren’s legs fall from his shoulders and gave a few more shallow pushes to ride out his orgasm before pulling out. He tied and threw the condom away before he laid down on his side next to Eren in the afterglow but even before either of their breathing could even out, Eren was groaning and covering his face.

 

Levi was immediately alarmed that he had accidentally hurt his boyfriend. “What's wrong?”

 

“It's so embarrassing”, Eren mumbled.

 

“What is?”, Levi asked, confused.

 

Eren peeked at him briefly between his fingers before covering his face again.

 

“I...I came without...you know?”, he mumbled, hoping Levi would understand.

 

And he did. “Oh, Eren, there's nothing to be embarrassed about. You felt good and you came. That's it”, he reassured.

 

“But still!”, Eren insisted before sighing. “I’m a guy. That’s not- I don’t-”

 

“Eren, trust me; that was fucking hot and I’m feeling smug as fuck that I could make you feel so good with just your ass”, Levi said bluntly. “Besides, I’m the only one who will ever know about this so it’s fine.”

 

Eren didn’t know if Levi meant it like he thought or even said it consciously but Eren still felt a warmth spread in his chest at the implication that Levi would be the only one for him for the rest of his life.

 

However, that still didn’t help much with the embarrassment of the situation so he decided to distract himself with talking.

 

“Have you ever...had that happen before?”

 

“No, I don't like bottoming so there's not really a chance of that happening”, Levi answered, reaching out to run his fingers through Eren’s hair.

 

Eren had been curious about something for a while and now that it came up…

 

“You have bottomed before?”, he decided to ask.

 

“Three times, yeah, and all of them are on the top of my list of the worst sexual encounters”, Levi said, groaning as he was reminded of them.

 

Eren let out a soft chuckle at the face Levi was making. “What else is on the top of that list?”

 

“I was dating a furry in high school. I was okay with it until she wanted me to fuck her in that costume so that's pretty up there”, Levi said.

 

“Did you do it?”

 

“Oh, hell no.”

 

Eren laughed openly at that, Levi loving the sound and sight.

 

“So what about you? What are some of the worst sexual encounters you've had?”, Levi asked.

 

“Well, I once bottomed for a young, straight guy who wanted to test gay sex out.” Eren sighed with a shake of his head. “I should've known he had no idea how it worked and that you couldn't just go in straight away without any preparation.”

 

Levi grimaced at the thought of that.

 

“If someone would've tried that shir with me, I would've kicked their balls deep inside their body”, he said, making the brunet laugh some more.

 

“Yeah, I probably should've stopped him”, Eren acknowledged.

 

Levi hummed in agreement before a sudden, slightly alarming thought came to him.

 

“You will tell me to stop if I ever do something you don't like, right?”, he asked.

 

Eren raised an eyebrow at him. “I know you wouldn't do anything like that.”

 

The short man let out a sigh. “As great as it is that you have so much faith in me, Eren, I want to be able to trust that you will tell me if I'm doing something that you don't like”, he said, reaching out to caress Eren's cheek.

 

The brunet leaned into the warm and gentle touch, closing his eyes before he gave a soft nod.

 

“I will”, he said, opening his eyes and looking straight to those silver ones. “I promise.”

 

“Good”, Levi said before leaning forward to press their lips together in a brief but sweet kiss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! Comments and kudos are always awesome!


	41. Christmas Tree And Pictures

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, everyone! Once again, I'm not sure if I can update next week. I'm not going to write anything this week to concentrate on studying for an entrance exam (it's on Monday. Oh god, I'm nervous >_<) so I'm not sure if I can complete the next chapter in time. Also this chapter is mainly just fluff and kind of a filler chapter but I still hope you enjoy it~

Eren and Levi went shopping for a Christmas tree and decorations the next day.

 

Eren knew they had agreed on a fake tree but he still tried to convince Levi to get a small real one. He knew that a normal sized one wouldn't fit into the apartment unless they moved some of the furniture around.

 

However, Levi was firm on his decision about the tree.

 

“A real tree will just make a mess. I don't want to find needles all over the apartment”, he said, arms crossed over his chest.

 

Eren tried to give the man his puppy eyes but Levi turned to look away, knowing his resolve might falter.

 

The brunet pouted but settled for the small fake tree. It was more than he had had last year. He had spent the last two Christmases at Armin's but having and decorating your own Christmas tree at home was a different kind of thing that he has missed from the time that his mother was still alive. She made sure they always had enough money to buy one, even if it wasn't the prettiest one out there.

 

“Eren, are you alright?”, Levi asked worriedly, snapping him out of his thoughts before they could take a dark turn.

 

“I'm fine”, Eren said, offering a smile to his boyfriend.

 

“Are you sure? You were spacing out?”, Levi asked.

 

“Yeah, sorry, I was just thinking about mom”, the brunet confessed.

 

Levi gave him a sympathetic look and wrapped an arm around his shoulders.

 

“Let's just choose the decorations and go home. I will make you some hot chocolate”, he promised.

 

“You know how to do that?”, Eren asked, turning to look at the other.

 

Levi rolled his eyes. “Of course, I do. I'm not  _ that _ bad in the kitchen.”

 

“No, no, that's not what I meant!”, Eren laughed. “Because you don't like overly sweet stuff, I wasn't sure if you'd ever made hot chocolate.”

 

“I have and it's just mixing some stuff together. Easy”, Levi grumbled. “But if you don't trust me, then I won't make it.”

 

“I do, I do! I want it! Sounds good!”, Eren hurried to say, a wide grin on his face. “Thank you, Levi.”

 

Levi huffed out a short laugh as they started browsing the aisle of Christmas decorations.

 

They bought the usual; star, small lights, a packet of Christmas balls and a few other miscellaneous decorations. Eren also got a bag of mini marshmallows for the hot chocolate and a box of chocolates as a gift for Levi's mother. Eren felt like it wasn't good enough but Levi assured him that it would be more than enough for his mother.

 

Once they got home, Eren put a Christmas music playlist on as they got the tree set before they started decorating it.

 

The brunet was humming and singing along to the music and Levi couldn't keep his eyes off of him. He looked so happy and relaxed.

 

They finished decorating the tree but left the music on as Levi got Eren his promised hot chocolate and himself a cup of coffee.

 

“Here”, Levi said as he handed Eren his cup before he sat down on the couch next to the brunet, throwing an arm over Eren's shoulders.

 

“Thanks”, Eren said as he placed some marshmallows on top before snuggling into Levi's side.

 

Neither said anything as they just enjoyed each other company and their respective hot beverages, the music softly playing in the background.

 

It was so calm, warm and domestic that Eren almost felt like falling asleep there leaning on Levi but, of course, the moment of peace was shattered as the short man's phone began ringing on the coffee table.

 

Levi groaned and threw his head back in frustration while Eren reached for the phone give it to him.

 

The man only briefly looked at the ID before deciding to answer.

 

“Hi, mom”, he said, sounding obviously tired and slightly annoyed.

 

_ “Did I interrupt something?”, _ Kuchel asked with a soft laugh.

 

“Yes.”

 

_ “As honest as always”,  _ she chuckled.  _ “I will make this quick then. Since you are coming here the day after tomorrow, I wanted to know what your boyfriend would like? As a present, I mean?” _

 

“I'm sitting next to him right now. Want me to give him the phone?”, Levi asked, turning his eyes to Eren as if to ask if it would be okay.

 

Eren gave a small, nervous nod.

 

_ “Oh, that would be great!” _

 

“Okay, I'll hand the phone to him.”

 

Levi gave the phone to him and he placed it on his ear carefully.

 

“H-hello?”, Eren asked, cursing himself for the small, nervous stutter.

 

_ “Hi, I'm Kuchel! Levi's mother. It's nice to finally talk to you”, _ the woman greeted.

 

“I'm Eren and the pleasure is all mine. Your son's been so good to me”, Eren said, starting to feel a bit more relaxed after hearing that she sounded nice and friendly. Not that he doubted that she wouldn’t be after everything Levi has told him.

 

_ “Oh, he better stay that way!”,  _ she said with a soft chuckle.  _ “I'd really love to talk more with you but I promised Levi to make this quick. What would you like as a Christmas present?” _

 

“Oh, it's fine. You don't need to get me anything.”

 

_ “I do! You've managed to live that little grump for so long!” _

 

“Hey, I heard that!”, Levi said. He may or may not have been eavesdropping to make sure that his mother didn't say anything unnecessary.

 

_ “Oh, calm down! You know, it's true!”,  _ Kuchel said.

 

Levi just scoffed, turning to glare at Eren when the brunet tried hold in his laughter.

 

_ “So is there anything you would like?”,  _ Kuchel asked, returning to the topic.

 

“Uh...well, I'm fine with anything really as long as it isn't expensive”, Eren answered, sensing that Kuchel was as stubborn about buying something for him as Levi.

 

_ “Don't worry about the cost. Just say something you'd like”, _ she said.

 

Eren bit his lip. He didn't want to seem rude but he didn't really want her to spend any money on a gift for him.

 

“I really don't just want people to spend money on me”, he decided to say.

 

_ “Oh, that boy better be spending some money on you!”,  _ the woman said.  _ “He better have taken you out to some fancy restaurant at least once by now!” _

 

Eren didn't know what to say to that. They hadn't really gone on a lot of dates. There was the aquarium but even then it wasn't just him and Levi for most of the time and the day overall had been bit of a mess because of his father. The second closest thing to a date they have had were the few shopping trips they've done together; like the one from earlier today. But it wasn't like Eren was unsatisfied with their relationship. He was fine just staying home with Levi.

 

_ “He hasn't taken you to a fancy restaurant, has he?” _ , Kuchel concluded from Eren's silence.

 

“We're both busy so it's alright”, the brunet said.

 

_ “It's not! I thought I raised him better than that!” _

 

Levi just sighed before motioning for Eren to give him the phone back since his mother decided to go off on a tangent.

 

“Mom, calm down before you scare him away”, he said. “And why would I need to take him to some fancy restaurant on a date when anything he makes is so much better.”

 

Eren couldn't stop the blush or the soft smile that rose onto his face at those words.

 

Kuchel gasped.  _ “He's a great cook? Levi, my baby, you scored yourself a great one! I can't wait to meet him!”, _ she gushed.

 

Levi rolled his eyes but he was glad that his mother was so accepting of his relationship, not that he doubted that.

 

“Now, if that's it, I will hang up”, he said.

 

_ “Wait! I didn't get a present idea yet!” _

 

“I'm sure you will figure something out. Bye, mom. Love you”, he said before ending the call with a sigh.

 

Eren chuckled softly at Levi and his mother's antics. They were so close. He briefly wondered if he and his mother also would've been like that. Would Carla have accepted Levi? Would she have been fine with Eren dating a guy and one quite a bit older than him? Would she have called Eren to inquire about a Christmas present for Levi? Would she-

 

Eren quickly stopped the thoughts there. Any more and he was sure that he would've made himself cry. That wasn't what he wanted or needed right now.

 

He leaned into Levi, setting his head on his shoulder.

 

Levi sighed contentedly as he leaned his head against Eren’s before briefly checking the time from his phone.

 

Eren’s eyes widened slightly as he glanced at Levi’s screen. It wasn't the time that surprised him but the lock screen wallpaper. It was a picture of Eren taken at the aquarium where he was smiling excitedly at one of the fish tanks.

 

“When did you take that picture?”, he asked.

 

“Hm? Oh…” Levi realized that the brunet had seen his screen. “I didn't take it. Hanji took it and send it to me along with a few others.”

 

“What others?”, Eren inquired.

 

Levi unlocked his phone and was about to open his photo gallery but the brunet stopped him.

 

“Wait, when did you take that?”, he asked, looking at the wallpaper. It was a selfie where Levi was laying on the couch with Eren sleeping on him.

 

Levi looked sheepish. “On Saturday when we were watching TV and cuddling on the couch and you ended up falling asleep”, he explained. “I can delete it if you don't like it?”

 

Eren shook his head before reaching for his own phone.

 

“I may have a few pictures like that too”, Eren said bashfully as he unlocked his phone and showed his wallpaper. It was a picture of Levi's sleeping face.

 

Levi let out a soft laugh. “I think we need to start taking pictures together while awake instead of trying to sneak pictures while the other is asleep.”

 

“I agree”, Eren said with a grin. “Want to try that right now?”

 

“Saying it like that makes it sound sexual”, Levi snorted.

 

“Maybe let's start with normal pictures before we move to pornography”, Eren said with a soft laugh.

 

He opened up his camera app in his phone before plastering himself against Levi's side, arm thrown over the shorter male's shoulders with a grin while Levi wrapped his arm around Eren's waist with a smirk on his face.

 

They took a few pictures; couple silly ones and one with Eren kissing Levi's cheek.

 

“That's probably enough”, Levi said with amusement as he saw how excited Eren was about being able to take pictures with his boyfriend.

 

Eren hummed in acknowledgement as he went through the pictures. “I will send these to you.”

 

It was late that night when they were in bed, ready to fall asleep that something occurred to Levi. It came up during the phone call with his mother and he needed to confirm it with Eren.

 

“You're not dissatisfied with our relationship, are you?”, he asked.

 

“Hm? What? Why?”, Eren mumbled sleepily.

 

“We haven't been on many dates, barely any proper ones”, Levi explained.

 

“It's alright. We both have work so it's understandable”, Eren said.

 

“No, but, Eren, you shouldn't have to settle for this just because we're busy with work”, Levi said, sitting up slightly so he could look at Eren better. “If you're dissatisfied with it, we can try to work out a time for a date. With the Christmas holiday just around the corner, I'm sure we can go somewhere.”

 

Eren smiled softly as he reached out to caress Levi's cheek.

 

“I'm not ‘settling for this’ nor am I dissatisfied with anything about our relationship. It's perfect the way it is”, he assured. “I don't need you to take me out to some fancy restaurant for me to be happy. I'm more than happy just staying at home with you, Levi.”

 

Levi would still need a lot of time to get used to Eren calling the apartment his home. Even after living together for a few months, it still made his heart skip a beat.

 

“You like getting all sappy, don't you?”, he said.

 

Eren let out a short laugh. “Well, am I the only one?”

 

“No, because I meant it when I said I would much rather eat what you make than something a Michelin star chef made”, Levi said before leaning down to press a chaste kiss on Eren's lips. “But it's time to sleep now.”

 

Eren hummed as he snuggled up to Levi when the short man laid back down.

 

“Good night, Levi.”

 

“Good night, Eren.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading. Comments and kudos are always appreciated! Also I'd like to remind that I really read every single one of your comments even if I don't answer to them because I never know what to answer >_> So if you've ever left a comment on this, I've read it and I've loved it and I've appreciated it and thank you!


	42. Anxiety And Meeting The Family

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, everyone! I feel really bad for missing last week's chapter >_> But this one is a bit longer than usual so hopefully that makes up for it! Also I've got a couple of good news: I've finally gotten over my writer's block fully and I'm back to writing~ Also I passed the entrance exam but I have another one that last four days next week. Thankfully that's an art exam so I don't have to study for it. But RIP my money. Had to spend over 70 euros on art supplies ;A; However, I have next week's chapter written already so I will be able to update next week but it will come out at the end of the week since I'm away from Monday to Thursday next week /:
> 
> Anyway, enjoy~

Levi sighed for the umpteenth time that morning as he saw Eren fretting in front of the wardrobe with just his underwear on, contemplating what to wear to meet Kuchel.

 

“You now understand why I was so anxious about meeting your brother”, Levi said, leaning against the bedroom door frame.

 

Eren didn't answer anything, only anxiously rolling his bottom lip between his teeth and switching from standing on one leg to the another.

 

Levi sighed as he pushed off of the door frame and came to stand behind Eren, wrapping his arms around his middle from behind.

 

“There's nothing to worry about. She won't think any less of you no matter how you're dressed so just dress how you want, okay?”, he reassured, pressing a few kisses between Eren’s shoulder blades before trailing up to the nape of his neck.

 

Eren hummed at the affectionate attention, shivering when Levi nipped at his skin.

 

“I'm a bit torn”, he confessed. “I want to make a good first impression but I still want to dress like myself.”

 

“You say it like those exclude each other and that's not true”, Levi said, warm breath ghosting over the other’s skin. “You can- no, you  _ will _ make a great first impression just by being yourself. My mother probably already loves you just after that phone call.”

 

Eren nodded slowly, placing his hands over Levi’s.

 

He wasn't convinced that Levi's mother would like him just like that but he trusted that Levi knew her well enough to know that she wouldn't care how he dressed. He still didn't want to dress like a slob so he chose an olive green turtleneck sweater with a white shirt underneath and paired them with his dark blue jeans.

 

They ate only a small breakfast, since Kuchel said that she wanted to make something for them, before they were heading down to the garage and into Levi’s car.

 

It was over half an hour drive to the Ackerman family house as it was located deep in the countryside.

 

Even though it was their family house, Levi had assured Eren that it was only Kuchel and her brother, Kenny, that lived there. Since it was a weekday, Levi guessed that his uncle wouldn’t be there today though.

 

Eren was fiddling with the sleeves of his jacket. He had bought concealer to hide his scars in case his sleeves rode up at some point during the visit. However, now he was thinking that he maybe should've wrapped his wrists with the bandages after all. The concealer would eventually rub off and it didn't hide the scars completely, only made them less noticeable. If Levi’s family had as sharp eyes as the man, they would surely notice the scars. The thought of that made him uncomfortable and anxious.

 

“Eren, are you okay? You've been silent for a while now”, Levi asked, not taking his eyes off the icy road.

 

“It's nothing. Just nervous”, Eren said, looking down at his lap.

 

Levi frowned. “If there's something wrong, I want you to tell me.”

 

“It's just...I'm afraid that she will see my wrists”, the brunet confessed.

 

Levi placed one hand on Eren's knee, giving it a reassuring squeeze.

 

“Eren, it will be alright. Even if she did see, she wouldn't say anything.”

 

“But what would she think of me?”

 

“She wouldn't think any less of you, I assure you”, Levi said.

 

Eren nodded but wasn't fully convinced, the fear staying in the back of his mind.

 

They arrived at the house a little later than they had estimated due to the slippery roads. Levi wasn’t taking any chances with the brunet in the car so he drove slowly.

 

Eren felt his stomach turn as he saw the house: it was a big and beautiful white country house with a lot of land surrounding it, snow-covered bushes and trees around the yard. He was sure the house looked even more magnificent in the summer surrounded by seemingly endless fields of green and all kinds of flowers. It was that kind of place that Eren could only dream about living in. It was that kind of place that his mother had always dreamed of.

 

He was looking at the house absentmindedly as Levi parked the car next to an expensive-looking silver pickup truck and Eren's nerves only got worse. He almost felt like he would throw up.

 

He knew very well that Levi was well-off but it was because of his job so he didn't consider that Levi's mother might also have quite a bit of money. Now he was regretting his choice in clothing. He should’ve worn something better. And what about his gift? It seemed worthless even if you added the gingerbread cookies that he had made yesterday to add to it.

 

Levi sighed as he turned off the car before turning to Eren, oblivious to his inner troubles.

 

“I’m going to warn you; it seems that my uncle is here after all”, he said, gesturing to the pickup truck.

 

Eren nodded stiffly, briefly remembering Levi telling him that his uncle was a bit weird.

 

“What's wrong?”, Levi asked, finally noticing how nervous the brunet was.

 

“It's just that...I guess I should've expected it but I just…”, Eren said, trying to think of a way to say it without sounding stupid but he gave up with a sigh after a while. “It's nothing.”

 

“Eren, please, don't give me that. I can clearly see that it's not just ‘nothing'”, Levi said, cupping Eren's face so he could look into his eyes. “Please, just tell me what's wrong.”

 

“But it's stupid”, Eren mumbled, trying to avoid the eye contact.

 

“Even if it is, I want to know.”

 

Eren sighed. “It's just...the house and that car look so expensive and I just...I don't know...got self-conscious?”

 

He himself wasn't entirely sure what he was so nervous about and it only made it seem more stupid.

 

“That's not a stupid worry”, Levi assured, gently rubbing his thumbs on Eren’s cheeks. “But I can assure you that they won't judge you for your financial background. Despite the big house, my mother is just a middle school teacher. She's pretty well-off but not as rich as it may seem.”

 

Eren nodded in understanding, feeling slightly better. Of course, he was still nervous but who wouldn't be when they were meeting their boyfriend’s family for the first time?

 

After leaning over and pressing a quick kiss onto Eren's lips, they finally exited the car, taking their gifts from the back before Levi took the brunet’s hand to lead him to the porch. He had the keys to the house but he still decided to ring the doorbell. It seemed more right after not visiting for a while.

 

The front door opened pretty quickly, revealing a beautiful, middle-aged woman with black hair that had a few grey strands mixed in. Even if Eren hadn't known that they were visiting Levi's mother, he would've been able to tell that she was definitely closely related to Levi. Her face was so similar to the one that he loved but just slightly softer and more feminine.

 

“Levi! It's so good to see you after so long”, Kuchel gushed as she went to hug her son tightly. “I've missed you so much.”

 

“I've missed you too, mom”, Levi said with a soft smile as he returned the hug.

 

“Have you really now?”, she teased with narrowed eyes as she pulled back. “You barely ever visit your dear old mother. I sometimes feel like you’ve forgotten about me!”

 

“You know that’s not true”, the short man huffed.

 

Kuchel let out a soft chuckle before she took his face between her palms to look him over. “Have you been sleeping enough? Are you eating well?”, she asked.

 

“Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. I'm an old man already so you don't need to worry about me”, Levi said, gently pushing her hands from his face.

 

“You're still my precious baby no matter how old you get!”, Kuchel declared. “Besides, you aren't that old yet! If you're an old man, what does that make me as your mother? Double old?”

 

Levi rolled his eyes but he still had a small smile on his lips as he handed his gift to his mother, who pulled him into another hug.

 

Eren was smiling and trying to hold back his chuckles as he watched the mother and son together. However, when Kuchel ruffled Levi's hair, the short man glaring half-heartedly at the woman, he couldn't help but let out a soft snort.

 

That brought the attention to him and he shrunk in on himself a little.

 

Levi smiled at him before wrapping an arm around the brunet's waist to bring him closer.

 

“Mom, this is my boyfriend, Eren Yeager”, he introduced proudly and without hesitation.

 

“Oh, it's so nice to finally meet you face-to-face! I'm Kuchel Ackerman, this grumpy's mother”, Kuchel said, briefly pinching one of Levi's cheeks before offering Eren a handshake.

 

“The pleasure is all mine, Mrs. Ackerman. Levi has told me a lot of good things about you”, Eren said, shaking the woman’s hand with a small, slightly nervous smile before holding out a small gift. “And this is for you.”

 

“Oh, you shouldn't have! But thank you. I’ve got something for you as well but I will give it to you later. For now, let’s just get in. I've prepared some snacks in the living room”, Kuchel said as she ushered them in. “And no need to be so polite. Just Kuchel is fine.”

 

They followed her in, taking their outerwear off before Levi led Eren to the living room to sit on the couch while the woman disappeared to what Eren thought was probably the kitchen.

 

“Just wait here and feel free to have some of the snacks. I will be right back”, he said, pressing a quick kiss to the brunet's lips before following Kuchel to the kitchen.

 

“Mom”, he called to get her attention.

 

“Hm? Is something wrong, dear?”, she asked and turned to face him.

 

“I have to ask you something”, Levi said.

 

“What is it?”

 

"Do you know anyone called Mikasa Ackerman?", Levi asked softly so Eren wouldn't hear.

 

"If she's an Ackerman, she should be related to us but…" she trailed off with a pensive frown. "I don't know any Mikasa in our family."

 

"Okay, maybe it's just a coincidence or she's a really really distant relative or something", Levi sighed with a shrug. “Just forget it, I guess.”

 

Kuchel bit her bottom lip in thought. "Or she could be your cousin", she murmured.

 

Levi's eyes snapped to her with a raised brow. "My cousin? You think Kenny has a secret daughter?"

 

"No, not Kenny", the woman said before letting out a resigned sigh. "It’s bit of a family secret, I guess, but I think you should still know. In addition to Kenny, I also have an older sister too."

 

It took Levi a moment to process the word. "What? A sister? Why was this kept as a secret?”

 

"Yes, her name is Karin Ackerman and she's two years older than me", Kuchel explained. "She fell in love with our neighbour's son but our dad hated that neighbour of ours and was angry and very very disapproving of their relationship so they left and she cut all contact with all of us when she was just 19."

 

"And you haven't heard from her since?", Levi asked, sad for her mother who obviously seemed to have been close with her sister if the fond but sad tone she spoke with was any indication.

 

"No, she hasn't tried to contact any of us and it became a taboo to talk about it", she said. "I was surprised that dad wasn't angry with me when I got pregnant just half a year after she had left."

 

"Maybe he didn't want to lose another daughter", Levi suggested.

 

Kuchel shrugged. "Could be." She shook her head. "You better not keep Eren waiting any longer. I'm sure he's probably confused and anxious."

 

Levi nodded, putting the subject in the back of his mind for now. Just as he was about to exit the kitchen, he heard loud and boisterous laughter from the living room. It seems Kenny found Eren...

 

* * *

 

Eren watched nervously as Levi disappeared behind a corner. There were some finger food and other snacks on the coffee table but he was too anxious to have any so he just surveyed his surroundings instead.

 

On a side table, not so far from where he was sitting, were pictures and he smiled as he saw a picture of young Levi, probably around five or six, grinning widely on his mother's lap with a grey tabby cat plush held in his arms. It was so adorable and made a happy smile form on his face. The rest of the pictures were people that Eren didn't recognize so he guessed they were relatives based on the similarities to Levi and his mother.

 

“Oh, you must be Levi's new sweetheart”, a booming, slightly raspy voice said, making Eren flinch a bit before his eyes settled on the man that came into the living room.

 

The man had neck-length, black, slightly greying, swept back hair, a chin strap beard and a wrinkly face. He was also a bit intimidating if Eren was being honest.

 

“Um..hello, I'm Eren Yeager”, Eren said timidly.

 

“No need to be so nervous”, the man laughed before plopping down next to the young man and offering a handshake. “Kenny Ackerman, Levi’s uncle.”

 

Eren shook the man's hand. “It's nice to meet you, Mr. Ackerman.”

 

“Kenny, just Kenny is fine”, Kenny said before grinning. “If you've managed to hook that boy for this long, I expect that it won't be long until we're in-laws!”

 

“We haven't been together for that long, though”, Eren said a hesitantly. “Only a couple of months.”

 

“That's a lot knowing Levi”, Kenny said. “And you're the first lover he has bothered to bring here after moving out so I can tell that he's planning to keep you.”

 

Eren let a small smile show on his face. “I sure hope so”, he said softly.

 

“Oh, trust me. I have known that brat since before he was born”, the older man said.

 

The brunet couldn't help but let out a soft chuckle at Levi being addressed as “brat”. He was a bit more relaxed after that but couldn't completely make his anxiety and nervousness go away. Not until Levi came back at least.

 

“But to think that even after being chased by all those pretty girls in school that he brought a guy home. He must've gotten his tastes from his mother”, Kenny sighed.

 

“It's a bad thing? That I'm a guy?”, Eren asked carefully, his heart beating fast in fear that their relationship would once again be ridiculed just like his father had.

 

“No, I couldn't care less what he puts his dick in as long as he's happy. He could be dating a goat and I wouldn't say anything about it”, Kenny laughed.

 

Eren let out a surprised snort at that. He could see what Levi meant by saying that his uncle was a bit on the weird side. It didn’t seem to be a bad kind of weird though and it helped soothe Eren’s nerves, even if just slightly.

 

“By the way, you look really young. How old are you?”, Kenny asked.

 

Eren tensed. Of course, that question would come sooner or later. Levi's family may have been fine with their son dating a guy but they might still shun them for the age difference.

 

“I'm 19”, he said softly, looking down at his lap so he didn't have to see the disapproving frown that he imagined would form on Kenny's face.

 

However, the response was different from what he expected.

 

Kenny pat him on the back, laughing and Eren didn't know what to make of it. Was he being made fun of? Was he being laughed at for being so young?

 

“Sorry, sorry. You turned so serious and tense that I was worried for a second that you would say that you were still a minor!”, Kenny explained. “I said I would be fine with whatever made that boy happy but an underage kid would be a little too much.”

 

Eren let out a relieved chuckle. “A minor isn't fine but a goat is? I sure hope you don't tell that to Levi. I wouldn't want him to leave me for an animal”, he joked, feeling the tension once again ebb away.

 

Eren didn't think the joke was that great but Kenny still burst into loud laughter, patting him on the back maybe a bit too hard.

 

“What the- Kenny, what are you doing?”, Levi asked as he emerged from the kitchen.

 

“Levi boy, you hit the jackpot with this one!”, the old man laughed, still patting Eren’s back. “So young, cute and with a good sense of humor! Suits you perfectly!”

 

“Keep your hands to yourself”, Levi warned as he swatted his uncle's hand off of Eren.

 

“No need to get jealous. I'm not interested in men”, Kenny said amusedly. “Speaking of which, you spent quite a lot of time in the car after arriving. Couldn't wait to get back home before getting it on?”

 

“Oh, fuck off. We were just talking”, Levi huffed as he settled down between the two to separate them.

 

“Kenny, stop patronizing the kids”, Kuchel scolded as she also emerged from the kitchen.

 

“I was just getting to know my future nephew-in-law!”

 

“Levi, you're already getting married!?”, the woman exclaimed. “Why didn’t you tell me!?”

 

“No!”, Levi answered quickly before glaring at his uncle. “We aren't getting married yet. We will get married if and when we feel like it.”

 

“Come on, Levi. None of us are getting younger”, Kenny teased.

 

“We've only been together for a couple of months!”

 

“Oh, right, when are you going to get kids? I can't wait to see my grandchildren!”, Kuchel said, deciding to join in on the teasing.

 

Levi sighed. “I hate the both of you.”

 

“Oh, shush, you don't mean that!”, his mother said with a chuckle as she walked up to the couch to ruffle Levi’s hair.

 

Eren laughed at Levi's disgruntled expression but he could tell that the man wasn't actually annoyed or pissed off. He was too caught up watching Levi that he didn't see the gentle smile that Kuchel had on while she watched him.

 

“I opened the gift you gave me, Eren. Thank you so much for the chocolate and were those gingerbread cookies homemade?”, she asked.

 

Eren nodded a bit nervously. “Yes, but if you don't like them, you can just throw them away”, he assured.

 

“Oh, I had one and it was good! Don't worry!”, Kuchel said. “And Levi told me you were a good cook?”

 

“What? You can cook well too?”, Kenny piped up before nudging Levi, who sent him a glare. “Where did you get such luck, huh?”

 

Eren blushed slightly. “I think I'm pretty average”, he mumbled.

 

“No need to be humble”, she said. “I can barely cook anything. It's a wonder how I managed to raise Levi.”

 

“You were and still are a great and hardworking mother”, Levi said.

 

“Oh, sweetie”, Kuchel sighed with a smile at her son before settling on an armchair next to the couch. “And feel free to have some of the snacks, Eren. I made them so I hope they taste good.”

 

Eren smiled softly at that but he was still a bit too nervous to have any of the food.

 

Levi noticed that and grabbed two of the bite-sized sausage rolls before holding one in front of Eren's mouth.

 

The brunet smiled as he let Levi feed him the snack before the short man ate the other himself. Eren then understood what Kuchel meant by being a bad cook as he ate the sausage roll. It had bit of a burnt taste.

 

“What do you think?”, Kuchel asked and it was only then that he noticed how she was watching him with bright, hopeful eyes.

 

There was no way Eren could say anything bad about it.

 

“Mom, those are obviously burnt”, Levi said before Eren could say anything.

 

“What? It is?”, she asked with a furrowed brow as she looked down at the snacks before looking to Eren.

 

“A bit, yeah”, Eren said a bit sheepishly. “But not too badly. It still tastes good.”

 

Kuchel frowned down at the snacks again.

 

“You'd think I'd learned how to cook something so simple properly by now”, she said before shrugging. It wasn't like she was upset about it.

 

“If you'd like, I can help you with lunch?”, Eren offered.

 

“Oh, you would do that?”, she asked, a smile forming on her face.

 

“I would love to help”, the brunet answered, smiling back at her.

 

“Just to warn you, Eren, my mom's horrible in the kitchen. She's far worse than me”, Levi deadpanned.

 

“You really like breaking your mother's heart, don't you?”, Kuchel said with a pout but the short man could tell that she wasn't actually hurt.

 

“But it's the truth though”, Levi said.

 

“Oh, where did you get that kind of attitude! I always raised you to be a gentleman!”

 

A smirk rose onto the short man's lips. “I am gentle”, he said before looking to Eren. “Eren can confirm that.”

 

The brunet was glad he wasn't eating anything because he would've choked on his food when Levi said that, his face heating up.

 

“Levi!”, he hissed.

 

“Scandalous”, Kuchel gasped with faked shock while Kenny burst into laughter. “Levi, I think you've spent too much time with your uncle.”

 

Levi huffed out a short laugh before turning to Eren.

 

“Sorry, I couldn't help it”, he said, not looking apologetic at all with that amused smirk on his face while Eren glared at him half-heartedly, his face still slightly red. “Are you mad at me?”

 

“I want a divorce”, Eren joked with a pout.

 

All the Ackermans chuckled at that, Levi reaching out to cup the brunet's cheek, pressing a kiss to the other.

 

“Don't be mad at me”, he said with a smile.

 

“It's about time that I banish you to sleep on the couch”, Eren said, trying to seem upset but the small grin tugging on his lips kind of ruined that.

 

Levi hummed. “I'm sure I can find a way back to bed by tonight”, he said teasingly.

 

Eren couldn't help but chuckle at that. “I'd like to see you try”, he challenged.

 

Levi was about to reply when loud laughter from Kenny snapped their attention back to the other people in the room.

 

“Oh, Levi, you better marry this one”, Kenny said. “You're not finding someone better suited for you.”

 

Levi rolled his eyes. “As I said, we aren't getting married anytime soon”, he huffed before turning to look at Eren, an adoring smile forming on his lips. “But I can confidently say that I'm not planning to let go of Eren as long as he will have me.”

 

Eren smiled back at him, taking hold of his hand. “Then you're in for a long ride because there's no way I would ever want anyone else but you.”

 

Kuchel smiled fondly at the two. “So, Eren, how old are you?”, she asked.

 

Eren tensed again at the question. “I'm 19.”

 

“Oh, so you're quite a bit younger than Levi”, she pondered out loud and the brunet got nervous again that they were going to be judged for it but instead an amused chuckle left her lips. “Sorry, I was just reminded of my younger days. There was that one man that was almost 20 years older than me that I had a one-night stand with when I was 17.”

 

“Mom, we don't need to know this”, Levi said with a sigh while Eren let out a relieved chuckle. It definitely seemed like Kuchel didn't care about the age gap.

 

“No, but it got me thinking...he could’ve been your father”, the woman mused.

 

“Whether or not he was, I don't give a shit. I have my amazing mother and that's all I need”, Levi said.

 

“Oh, Levi, my dear.”

 

“Hey, what about me?”, Kenny piped in with a grin as he leaned against Levi.

 

“And me, Levi. Do you not need me?”, Eren teased, decided to join in.

 

Levi pushed a laughing Kenny off, glaring at the man before turning to the brunet with a blank face.

 

“I think my uncle is infecting you so I think we should just leave before it's too late”, he deadpanned.

 

He looked so serious that Eren couldn't help but laugh openly at that, putting a hand in front of his mouth to silence himself. Levi also couldn't help letting out soft chuckles. His boyfriend’s joy was so infectious.

 

“I'm so happy to see you enjoying yourself like this, Levi”, Kuchel said.

 

The short man just hummed in response before leaning down to take a few cookies from the table, handing some to Eren, who took them happily.

 

“Are you studying, Eren? Or working already?”, Kuchel asked.

 

“I own a small coffee shop”, the brunet answered after eating one of the cookies that Levi had given him. They were a bit deformed and not as sweet as he usually preferred but still tasted okay.

 

“Own? You're already an owner of a coffee shop at such a young age?”, the woman asked in awe.

 

“Yeah.” Eren swallowed with slight difficulty as his mouth suddenly felt dry. “My mother left it to me when she passed away.”

 

He gave himself a pat on the back for managing to not to stutter or cry but he immediately felt bad for saying that as the atmosphere turned a bit somber.

 

“I'm so sorry”, Kuchel said as she stood up before going to give the brunet a comforting hug. “It must've been rough to lose your mother when you're still so young.”

 

Eren hugged the woman back hesitantly. “It's okay. It's been a couple of years already so I've gotten used to it.” He glanced at Levi with a smile as the woman pulled away. “And I now have Levi with me so it's fine.”

 

Kuchel obviously wanted to inquire more but left it at that as Levi gave her a look.

 

“Now then, Levi, do you want to explain again why you haven't proposed to this sweet boy already?”, she scolded playfully in an attempt to shift the mood in the room.

 

Levi let out a groan while the rest laughed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! Comments and kudos are great af! Also, I once again split one day into multiple chapters because I didn't feel like uploading a 10k chapter so there will be a couple of chapters with Levi's family.


	43. Gifts And Lunch

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, everyone! I'm here with a new chapter! It's basically already Monday here but don't worry, I will do my best to try to update again later this week!
> 
> Also my art exams went ok. I will get to know if I will get into the university on the 28th! I just have to keep my fingers crossed and hope that I get in! >A<
> 
> Anyway, enjoy~

They talked for quite a while, Kuchel and Eren dominating most of the conversation, Kenny occasionally piping in, while Levi was happy to just listen.

 

When lunch was getting closer, Kuchel remembered something suddenly.

 

“Oh, your gifts!”, she said as she stood up and headed out of the room. “I'll be right back!”

 

“Oh, I should get you your gifts too”, Kenny said as he stood up and disappeared out of the room with a slower pace than his sister, leaving the couple alone.

 

Eren let out a long, relieved sigh as he leaned against Levi.

 

“Tired?”

 

“A little. I was so nervous that they were going to judge us”, Eren confessed.

 

“I told you there was nothing to worry about”, Levi said.

 

“I know but I still can't help but worry”, the brunet said. “Your mother's nice though. Your uncle too in his own way.”

 

“I thought my uncle would get bored and leave after a while but he's still staying”, Levi sighed. “Not that I hate his presence or anything but I'm a bit afraid that you're getting influenced by him too much.”

 

Eren chuckled. “I will try not to be.”

 

Levi sent him an unimpressed look.

 

“Sorry to keep you waiting!”, Kuchel announced as she returned.

 

She first offered Levi two gifts: one wrapped in Christmassy paper and the other in silver paper with a blue ribbon on top.

 

She then gave Eren a gift that was wrapped in the same Christmassy paper as Levi's.

 

“Open them up. Levi you start with your Christmas present”, Kuchel said, taking out her phone to film.

 

Levi rolled his eyes. His mother always wanted to film his reaction to his gifts for some reason even when he was already in his thirties. Not that he minded it; whatever made her happy.

 

As instructed, he opened the Christmas present first. Inside was a bottle of red wine, a grey scarf and black wool socks.

 

He smiled. While his mother was pretty bad in the kitchen, she was good at knitting and he always appreciated how she took the time to make something for him.

 

“Thank you, mom”, he said, standing up to give her a quick hug.

 

“Now, Eren's turn”, Kuchel said, still filming the occasion with her phone.

 

Eren nodded as he carefully opened the neatly wrapped gift. He let out a soft gasp as he saw what was inside.

 

There was a set of 5 stainless steel chef knives and a scarf with olive green and mustard yellow stripes.

 

“Do you like it?”, Kuchel asked, smiling at him.

 

“I do but…” He looked a bit anxiously at the knife set. “This must've been expensive.”

 

“Oh, don't worry about the price. I have money to spare”, the woman reassured. “Levi told me you didn't have a very good set of knives so I had to change that!”

 

“You say that like I called you to tell you that when in reality you called Erwin after I didn't answer your texts”, Levi scoffed but there was no bite to his words.

 

“Because I didn't know what to get!”, Kuchel huffed before turning to Eren. “I hope the color of the scarf is fine. I got so excited to make it when I heard you don't mind actual colors unlike someone I know.”

 

Levi rolled his eyes when his mother send him a look.

 

Eren let out a chuckle before he realized what the woman said.

 

“Wait, you made this yourself?”, he asked, holding the scarf up.

 

“Oh, yes, I did”, she said proudly before sighing. “I would've wanted to make socks for you too but I didn't have time.”

 

“No, this is more than enough. Thank you so much. I love it”, the brunet said with a bright smile.

 

That was when Kenny finally came back, carrying two envelopes and one badly wrapped gift. He flopped down next to Levi before offering an envelope to both the short man and the brunet.

 

Inside the envelopes was money and Eren was hesitant to accept his gift but all three Ackermans assured him that it was fine.

 

“Kenny would probably only use it to buy alcohol otherwise so it's better if it's off him”, Kuchel joked.

 

Kenny then gave his badly wrapped present to Levi and he wasn't really surprised to find a bottle of expensive whiskey inside.

 

“Are you both trying to steer me towards alcoholism?”, he asked, glancing between the wine from his mother and the whiskey from his uncle.

 

“Oh, don’t be silly!”, Kuchel huffed while Kenny and Eren laughed.

 

It was then finally time for Levi to open his last gift; the birthday gift from his mother. The box was small and light so he really didn't know what to expect but one folded piece of paper definitely wasn’t on the list of things he thought would be in the box.

 

Levi raised an eyebrow at his mother before taking the piece of paper and unfolding it. On it just read “a 4-day vacation”.

 

“Mom? Care to explain?”, he asked, although, he had a sneaking suspicion that he understood what it meant.

 

Kuchel grinned. “I booked you two a trip to Maria. Hotel included”, she said. “And don't worry, Levi. It's a five star hotel.”

 

“When is it?”, Levi asked. A trip with just Eren sounded wonderful actually. Before meeting the brunet, he usually was a bit reluctant to go on trips. He had always prefered his work over a vacation after all since he never knew what to do with his time other than work but if it was with Eren he could say that he was pretty excited to go and just relax for a few days.

 

“In early February”, Kuchel answered. “I know you hate the colder months so I thought it was fitting to give you a vacation to somewhere a bit warmer even if it is only for a few days.”

 

“You've talked to Erwin about this, haven't you?”

 

“Of course and he said it was more than fine if I got you to take a short vacation and actually use your vacation days. At this point, you probably have over half a year worth of paid vacation days if you add up all those you haven't used in all these years”, she said, shaking her head. “I didn't think I would ever say this but that's one thing where you should follow your uncle's example.”

 

Kenny laughed at that before standing up.

 

“Speaking of which, I should probably be leaving now”, he said before ruffling Levi's hair. “Be good now, kids.”

 

“So soon? You're not staying for lunch?”, Kuchel asked.

 

“Work’s calling. Traute will throw a hissy fit if I stay too long since I didn't even inform her before I left”, her brother said before turning to Eren. “You just keep Levi in line for me, okay? He can be quite a handful at times.”

 

Eren smiled. “I will. It was nice to meet you.”

 

Kenny just nodded before saying his goodbyes and leaving.

 

Kuchel sighed. “Just like I expected he skipped out of work just to come see you two.”

 

"Typical", Levi said.

 

"What does he do for work?", Eren asked curiously.

 

"Believe it or not but he's a police officer", the short man answered.

 

Eren really had a hard time imagining that but he guessed that he didn't know the man well enough to make any kind of judgment. Although, skipping out of work while being a police officer didn't sound very responsible or great.

 

"Now would probably be a good time to start preparing lunch", Kuchel said as she stood up before smiling at Eren with a hopeful expression. "And you will help?"

 

Eren nodded and returned the smile. He followed the woman into the kitchen, Levi also trailing behind them.

 

The kitchen was quite big and clean with a dining table in the middle if it. The walls were a soft baby blue and the countertops and cabinets were white, a contrast to the darker colors of Levi’s apartment’s kitchen.

 

Levi sat down at the table, watching over the two as they discussed how to cook a chicken breast without it drying out in the process. He loved watching the two interact so happily and bond over cooking. He knew his mother would love Eren but to see the brunet already so relaxed and open around his mother made him both happy and proud.

 

"Hey, Levi dear, would you mind setting the table?", Kuchel asked, not even looking away from what they were doing.

 

"Of course", Levi said as he rose to get the plates and whatnot.

 

They made chicken breast with rice, Eren mostly tending to the chicken while Kuchel managed the rice but still listening to Eren's cooking advice.

 

"You could also cook the chicken in milk. That also helps it retain moisture and if you add lemon and seasonings, you can get a delicious sauce out of the milk to go with the chicken", Eren explained to Kuchel as they set a plate with beautifully cooked chicken breasts and a pot of rice on the table.

 

"Chicken in milk? That sounds a bit strange, doesn't it?", the woman questioned as she took her seat sitting diagonal from Levi and opposite to Eren.

 

"It does. I was skeptical at first too when I stumbled upon the recipe but I assure you it's really delicious", Eren said with a smile.

 

Kuchel hummed. "I will have to try it out then."

 

"You can find the recipe just by googling it but I could also get Levi to send it to you."

 

"Can you now?", Levi asked playfully.

 

"Yep, I have ways to persuade you", the brunet said with smug smile and a small wink.

 

Kuchel chuckled softly. "I can give you my phone number too. I'd love to hear from you, especially, since Levi so rarely calls his poor old mother", she sighed dramatically.

 

Levi rolled his eyes. "Let's just eat", he said, taking the initiative to put food on his plate first.

 

"So hungry already?", Kuchel teased as she let the "kids" take food first before serving herself.

 

"Fucking starving", Levi said sarcastically.

 

"Levi, no swearing at the kitchen table!", she scolded.

 

"Sorry", the short man said, not sounding sorry in the least as he started eating.

 

"Oh, this boy I swear", Kuchel sighed, taking a bite of her food before turning to Eren with wide eyes. "It really is moist and tender."

 

"That's good", Eren said, internally sighing in relief that he hadn't fucked it up, before also starting his meal.

 

They fell into a comfortable silence, only the soft clanking of cutlery against plates filling the room.

 

"But I really am glad that Levi's got someone like you by his side, Eren", Kuchel said after a long while. "I can worry a little less about him now."

 

Both Eren and Levi looked to her at that before the shorter turned to look at the brunet with a soft expression.

 

"I'm also incredibly glad to have him. I have no idea how I managed before him", Levi said and Eren felt like he could almost melt underneath that adoring gaze.

 

"That goes both ways. I have no idea what I would do without you", he returned, his cheeks slightly flushed.

 

Kuchel smiled fondly and left them to their own world for a bit as she focused back onto her meal. She was really liking Eren and what he had done for Levi.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading~ Comments and kudos give me motivation so those are always nice~ ^w^


	44. Photos And Past Friendships

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, everyone! Here's this week's chapter as promised! However, I'm not sure if I can update next week. I don't have the next chapter ready and for the next two weeks, I'm going to be at my summer job so I don't know if I have time to write.
> 
> Anyway, enjoy~

After lunch was finished, Kuchel urged Eren and Levi to sit on the couch while she went to get something.

 

"You okay?", Levi asked once they were alone. As relaxed as Eren looked, he had to confirm that the the brunet was actually enjoying himself instead of trying to hide his anxiety.

 

Eren nodded with a happy smile as he took hold of Levi's hand to intertwine their fingers.

 

"Yes. I’m still a bit anxious that I will do something wrong to make her dislike me but it's fine", he said.

 

"Hey, you don't need to worry. There's nothing you could do to make her dislike you as long as you just be yourself", Levi reassured.

 

"I just can't help it", the young man said softly.

 

"I know, it's fine", Levi sighed before lifting their joined hands to his lips so he could press a kiss to the back of Eren's hand. "I just want you to enjoy yourself."

 

"I am, don't worry", the brunet assured, smiling brightly as the short man pressed soft kisses to his hand.

 

"Sorry for the wait!", Kuchel announced happily as she came back into the living room, carrying a few...books?

 

Levi groaned as he recognized what his mother had. "Mom, is this necessary?"

 

"Of course! It was a shame that Kenny had to leave before he could share all your embarrassing childhood stories so this is a must!", the woman insisted as she sat next Eren and set the books on the coffee table before opening one.

 

Eren then realized that it wasn't a book but a photo album and he let out a soft gasp as he saw a picture of a young Kuchel holding a baby.  _ Baby Levi! _

 

"This is a picture of when I finally got to take Levi home from the hospital!", Kuchel explained as she pointed to the picture.

 

"He's so small", Eren marvelled.

 

"Yes, he was a preterm baby so he was a bit smaller than most. He still is", Kuchel teased.

 

Levi glared at her which only made her and Eren laugh.

 

"I'm glad though", she continued, absent-mindedly tracing the picture with her finger. "I was afraid that he was going to have some complications because he was born early but the worst that ever happened was that he ended up short."

 

Eren realized how relieved Kuchel must be to see that her son has lived a long and healthy life. He couldn’t even begin to image how horrifying it must’ve been to know that your child might not only get badly sick but also die young.

 

Speaking of young…

 

“How old were you? You look really young in the picture?”, he inquired.

 

“Oh, I was just 18”, Kuchel said. “Funny thing is though that I realized I was pregnant on my 18th birthday. Looking back on it, it’s been the greatest birthday surprise I’ve ever had. Despite the fact that I threw up on my birthday cake.”

 

She let out a chuckle before turning a few pages over.

 

"Oh, this is one of my favorites", she said, pointing to a close up picture of small baby Levi smiling widely as big, silver eyes stared happily at whoever was taking the picture. "He's six weeks old here."

 

"He's so adorable", Eren cooed and Levi just wanted to get out of the room. He would have to ask Eren to show his baby pictures to him later in exchange for this.

 

They went through a lot of photos, now halfway through the second photo album but Eren wasn't any less interested than he was in the beginning.

 

"Here's Levi at 6 with his two best friends, Isabel and Farlan!", Kuchel explained as she pointed to a picture of Levi with two other kids, playing with toy cars on one of those city play carpets. "Speaking of who, do you know how they're doing these days, Levi?"

 

Eren turned to look at the man in question to see a frown on his face. He had been scowling the whole time to hide his embarrassment but his current expression looked a bit more sad than embarrassed.

 

Eren didn't know what made the older man like that so he just placed his hand on Levi's in an effort to comfort.

 

Levi smiled gratefully at him before looking back to his mother and shaking his head.

 

"No, I haven't had contact with them for a couple of years now", he said with a shrug.

 

Eren wanted to ask more but Levi looked like he didn't want to discuss the subject now. He would ask about it on their way back home but if the man still didn't want to talk about it, he wouldn't pry.

 

Kuchel send her son a sad smile before returning back to the photos, trying to skip over ones with the two of his former best friends. However, it was a bit difficult to do since she wanted to show Levi's pictures to Eren but most of the ones after Levi started school were with the two. They had been pretty inseparable after all.

 

Levi decided to tune out the conversation and just focus on Eren's hand in his. He didn't want to think about Isabel and Farlan.

 

It was over 3 PM when they finished looking through all of the photo albums. Eren realized that the two, Isabel and Farlan, had been in almost every picture from first grade all the way to his high school pictures. After that it was like they just disappeared. He wondered what happened to them.

 

Eren also noticed how Hanji and Erwin had appeared in the pictures right after Isabel and Farlan disappeared. He realized just how strong their friendship was if they had been friends since high school. Eren wondered if his own group of friends would last like that.

 

After almost all of his friends went to high school while he went to a vocational school, their friendship had already started to fall apart. Or at least, it felt like that to Eren. They had still talked and seen each other but there always seemed to be a bit of a strain. They were fine when they were physically together but afterwards it just felt lonely and hollow and it had only worsened when his friends went to university.

 

He has managed to become closer with Armin and Mikasa again but he still couldn't help but worry that it wouldn't last…

 

"We should probably leave now before it gets dark", Levi said, snapping the brunet out of his thoughts.

 

"Oh, the time just seemed to fly by", Kuchel laughed as she looked at the time before standing up and turning to Eren. "It was so nice to meet you, Eren."

 

"Yes, it was really nice to meet you too", Eren said with a smile as he and Levi stood up also.

 

Kuchel pulled him into a brief but warm hug, which surprised the brunet a bit.

 

"Eren, you can go put your jacket and shoes on. I have to ask my mother something", Levi said after the two separated from the hug.

 

Eren understood that it was a private matter between the two so he just nodded and went to put his outerwear on.

 

"Hm? What is it, dear?", Kuchel asked once Eren had disappeared behind the corner.

 

“If Mikasa’s mother is your sister, would you like to see her again?”, Levi asked. He had been thinking about it. If he told Eren about it and confirmed whether or not Mikasa was actually his cousin, maybe he could get a chance to reunite the sisters. If it would make his mother happy, he would try his best to make it happen.

 

Kuchel send him a sad smile. “Of course, I would but I don’t know if she wants to see me. There must have been a reason why she cut contact with all of us instead of just our father”, she sighed.

 

“Maybe she just was afraid that you would take grandfather's side?”, Levi suggested, trying to comfort his mother.

 

She shrugged. “Maybe”, she said before shaking her head as if to get rid of her thoughts. “But let’s not keep Eren waiting. It’s getting dark soon and I don’t want you driving home on those icy roads in the dark.”

 

Levi nodded before they went to where Eren was waiting, already bundled up in his winter clothing, his new scarf around his neck.

 

"Sorry for the wait, Eren", Levi said, giving the brunet a brief apologetic kiss.

 

"It's fine", Eren said, a smile rising on his lips as his cheeks flushed a little.

 

Levi put on his shoes and jacket, also wrapping his new scarf around his neck. He knew it would make his mother happy to see them wearing the gifts.

 

"Oh, now I feel like taking a picture of you too", Kuchel said.

 

"We just put on our outdoor clothes", Levi reminded with a sigh.

 

"Even so!", the woman said before turning around to go get her phone.

 

Levi groaned while Eren just chuckled.

 

"It's not that bad. I really don't mind, at least", the brunet said.

 

"I guess, it's okay", Levi relented.

 

Kuchel came back quickly and took a few pictures of them in front of the front door before giving Eren another hug and then hugging Levi.

 

"Love you. Have a safe trip", she said before pulling back.

 

They said their goodbyes before trudging up to the car. It had snowed quite a bit while they were inside so there was a good dozen centimeters of snow on the ground.

 

They put their gifts in the back before brushing the snow off Levi's car, the short man frowning as some snow fell into the car when they had to open the door to get the snow brushes out.

 

Levi let out a sigh as they finally pulled out of the yard and started the trip back home.

 

"Tired?", Eren asked with a chuckle.

 

Levi send him a quick blank look before concentrating back on the road. "You better show me all of your baby pics."

 

The brunet giggled at his expression before the happy smile slowly turned sad.

 

"I don't think I have many. Father took most of the photo albums with my photos since a lot of my pictures had Zeke in them too", he said. "Mom didn't want to give them but she thought she didn't really have a choice since Zeke wasn't her child."

 

Levi frowned. That seemed unfair.

 

"I do have one of them though", Eren said. "It's not much but it's better than nothing."

 

"We're going to go through it thoroughly when we get back home", Levi decided, causing the brunet to laugh.

 

The atmosphere turned brighter again after that but there were things on both Eren and Levi's mind that they wanted to discuss.

 

"Hey, this might seem like a weird question", Levi started. "But do you know Mikasa's mother's name?"

 

Eren turned to look at him with a furrowed brow. "Her name is Karin Ackerman. Why?"

 

Levi didn't know how to feel about that now that he confirmed that he and Mikasa were indeed cousins.

 

"My mother's older sister's name is Karin Ackerman", he said, deciding to let Eren connect the dots.

 

"Oh…" And that he did. "So that means that she's your aunt? And Mikasa is...your cousin?"

 

"It would seem like it."

 

Eren snorted in amusement. "I thought you got along really well with your family but it seems that Mikasa is an exception", he laughed lightly.

 

"We can at least stand each other so that's good, right?", Levi scoffed.

 

Eren hummed noncommittally as he watched the passing scenery. "But how didn't you know that you two were related? Are you not close with your aunt?"

 

"I didn't even know that I had one before today", the short man confessed.

 

Eren's head snapped to him. "What? How's that possible?"

 

Levi shrugged. "Mom said that my aunt cut all contact with all of us many years ago because my grandfather disapproved of her relationship", he explained.

 

"Oh…" There wasn't really anything Eren could say to that.

 

"But my mom seemed to really love her so…" Levi trailed off, thinking of his next words. "Do you think it would be possible for them to meet?"

 

"Well, I mean, I'm seeing Mikasa tomorrow so I could explain the situation and ask her about it. I can't really say anything more", Eren answered with a shrug.

 

"We'll find out tomorrow then."

 

They fell into silence for a while, Eren humming along to the soft music coming from the radio. It was music to Levi's ears which was why he was a bit saddened when the brunet stopped. However, he noticed how Eren suddenly got nervous as he saw him fidgeting in his seat from the corner of his eye.

 

"What's wrong?", he asked.

 

Eren bit his lip. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want but…" He trailed off, playing with a loose string on his jacket. "Isabel and Farlan? What happened with them?"

 

Levi was quiet for a while so Eren guessed that he decided not to answer it. It was fine really. He wouldn't pry anymore-

 

"I met Farlan in first grade and Isabel was Farlan’s adopted little sister; two years younger. They were the only kids near here around my age so it wasn’t really a surprise that we got close. But when Farlan and I had barely just started high school, their parents got a job from quite a far away so they had to move away.” Levi sighed tiredly. "We managed to keep contact throughout high school and university but after all of us started working, our texts, calls and visits just lessened. Now I haven't heard anything from them for around two years."

 

Eren could tell that Levi was really sad about it despite how much he tried to sound and seem indifferent.

 

He wanted to hug and kiss his boyfriend but hated how he couldn't as he didn't want them to crash. He also couldn't think of what to say to comfort him. He felt like such a failure as a boyfriend. Levi had done so much for him and when the short man was feeling sad, there was nothing he could do.

 

He bit his lip. "I'm sorry", he mumbled.

 

"For what?", Levi asked.

 

"For asking, for making you sad and for being a bad boyfriend", Eren explained, looking down on his lap.

 

Levi frowned but didn't take his eyes off the road. "Okay, first of all, you didn't know and it's not your fault that I'm feeling a bit sad", he said before his tone turned even firmer. "Secondly, you're in no way a bad boyfriend. You're the best boyfriend I could have and more than I deserve."

 

"You deserve someone far better", Eren whispered but Levi heard him.

 

The older man sighed and pulled to a stop on the side of the road before turning in his seat to look at the brunet.

 

"What made you think that way?", Levi asked.

 

Eren didn't say anything, instead, he wrapped his arms tightly around Levi now that he didn't have to worry about disturbing his driving.

 

"I'm so fucked up", he muttered and Levi could hear the tears in his voice. "You always help me with everything but then when you need me, there's nothing I can do."

 

Levi wound his arms around Eren's waist, pulling their bodies as close as he could with the gearbox in the middle of them.

 

"I've said it before: you're _ not _ fucked up", Levi said firmly before he pulled back so he could see Eren's bright eyes. "You have no idea how much you've done for me. You've made that cold and lonely apartment into a warm and welcoming home with your presence. You've helped me de-stress after a long day at work, eat better and sleep well at night. You've made me _ happy." _

 

Eren couldn't have stopped the tears no matter how much willpower he put into it. He felt so touched and relieved that he had helped Levi too. It helped him feel a little less like a burden.

 

"But I still couldn't think of what to say to comfort you", Eren said, averting his eyes.

 

"It's been two years. I've mostly gotten over it. I know some friendships won't last and you just have to let go and move on", Levi said before smiling softly at the other. "Besides, I have you, my family and all of my friends at work. That's more than I could ever wish for. And I mean that: Hanji really is above and beyond what I would wish for."

 

The humour did what Levi wanted and got a soft chuckle out of Eren, easing the somber atmosphere.

 

"Now then, let's just go home. How does pizza and cuddles on the couch sound?", he asked as he began driving again.

 

Eren chuckled. "That would be perfect."

 

When they got home, that's exactly what they did, cuddling on the couch with pizza and looking through Eren's baby pictures.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading~ Comments and kudos are always greatly appreciated!


	45. Christmas And Doubts

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, everyone! I just managed to finish writing and re-reading this today. And yes, a Christmas chapter in the middle of summer. But I couldn't help it. It just happened on its own. Also speaking of Christmas, I know that in some countries Christmas is celebrated mostly on Christmas day or something? Not too sure but I went with what's familiar to me since here Christmas is mostly on the Christmas eve or at least starts then in case some people are confused.
> 
> Also because I have barely started on the next chapter, I might not be able to update next week. Feeling a bit down and tired so I haven't really been writing much as of late. 
> 
> Also not sure if anyone will care but a bit of a sad thing happened: I didn't pass my entrance exams so I'm not getting into university... Guess I'll have another gap year...
> 
> But enough about that. Enjoy the chapter~

"Levi, wake up!", Eren exclaimed happily as he tried to shake Levi awake.

 

"What the fuck?", Levi mumbled sleepily as he opened his eyes to see Eren smiling down at him before looking at the time. "It's 7 AM on a holiday. How do you have so much energy? Did you snort coffee grounds or something?"

 

Eren huffed. "It's Christmas!"

 

"It's Christmas eve at  _ seven in the morning",  _ Levi pointed out, going back to sleep. Or trying to.

 

"Yeah, but we have so much to do today!", Eren explained. "So let's open the presents now!"

 

"Aren't the gifts usually opened in the evening?", Levi mumbled with no desire to get up yet. They had two rounds of sex before going to bed late. He was tired. How was Eren so hyper? He was pretty sure that he had fucked the brunet into the mattress so he shouldn’t be jumping around freely so early in the morning.

 

"Yeah, but we have a lot to do today so let's open them now!", Eren reasoned with a wide grin.

 

When Levi made no move to get up, he frowned and laid down on the man in an effort to get him to get up. However, his plan didn't work like he had wanted as Levi just turned onto his back and wrapped his arms around Eren.

 

"This wasn't how it was supposed to go. You were supposed to complain that I'm heavy, kick me out of bed and wake up", Eren said, almost whining.

 

Levi hummed with his eyes closed. "Too bad."

 

Eren just huffed as he pried Levi's hands off of him to get up. Once he was free once again, he frowned down at the other man who was still refusing to get up. At this point he guessed that Levi was probably just getting amusement out of this.

 

Well, it was time for plan B.

 

"I'm pregnant", he announced.

 

That sure got Levi's attention as he lifted his head to look at Eren with a confused expression, actually briefly glancing at the brunet's stomach like expected to see a baby bump there, his still sleep muddled brain taking a while to catch up.

 

Levi groaned as he realized what a stupid thing it was.

 

"You actually looked!", Eren laughed before he went to open the curtains.

 

"Oh, shut up", Levi said as he turned onto his stomach to bury his face in his pillow as sunlight filled the room.

 

However, that left his weak stop unguarded and Eren saw the opportunity to kill two birds with one stone; get the man up and get his revenge that was long overdue. With a wide smirk, he climbed back on the bed and straddled Levi's lower back.

 

The older man made no noise of complaint so Eren assumed he wasn't hurting the man with his weight. He slid his fingers softly on the back of Levi's neck and there was an immediate reaction as the short man scrunched up his neck and raised his shoulders.

 

"Fuck, Eren, stop it", Levi cursed as Eren started to tickle his nape.

 

The brunet let out a giggle when Levi managed to buck him off his back, falling on his side of the bed. "Ready to wake up yet?"

 

Levi glared at him but it had no real heat in it before sighing and sitting up.

 

"Merry Christmas, Levi", Eren said happily as he leaned over to press a brief kiss to Levi's lips.

 

However, Levi didn't let him retreat but pulled him back for a more heated kiss, nibbling on the brunet's bottom lip before delving deeper into his mouth with his tongue.

 

Eren was left panting after the impromptu make out session, not that he was complaining, but now his mind went to dirtier things than the gifts under their little Christmas tree.

 

"You're meeting your friends at nine right? If we continue now, we will have to open the gifts in the evening", Levi said as he pulled back, giving Eren the choice to decide between sex and the gifts. However, he knew what the brunet would choose.

 

"Gifts in the evening then", Eren mumbled with a pout before diving back in to get another taste of Levi.

 

* * *

 

Eren met up with Mikasa, Armin, Jean, Marco, Connie and Sasha for a small Christmas get-together. They didn't have anything specific in mind to do so they just walked around town, exchanging gifts and talking about whatever.

 

"So, Eren, are you going to keep your shop open today this year also?", Connie asked.

 

"Yeah, of course", Eren answered.

 

"Won't that be kind of...bad?", Sasha asked, eating some gingerbread cookies.

 

"Bad? How so?"

 

"Well, you know, since you're in a relationship and you're only going to be home in the evening even though it's Christmas", Sasha explained.

 

"Everyone deserves a warm place and some company on Christmas so I want to give that to people that have no one to spend the day with. Levi understands that", Eren said. "And tomorrow is his birthday so I'm spending the whole day with him."

 

"So it's okay to leave your boyfriend alone on Christmas?", Jean asked with a mocking tone.

 

Eren glared at him. "He’s not alone, you horseface. His friends came over when I left."

 

"'When you left'? Is he too embarrassed to show you to them?", Jean sneered.

 

"Oh, fuck you. I've met them before!"

 

"But he still wanted you out of the apartment while he had fun with his friends!"

 

"Jean…", Marco warned, trying to get the taller boy to stop before there was a fight.

 

"Well, I'm also out with friends so what the fuck are you even saying?", Eren snapped, about ready to punch the shit out of the horseface.

 

"Maybe he's cheating on you?", Jean teased before he got a hit in the face, stumbling back a few steps. "What the fuck!?"

 

"Eren! Jean! Stop it!", Armin said. Their snarky remarks to each other were fine to a certain extent but he had to intervene if it got physical.

 

However, Jean already got hold of the collar of Eren's jacket and decked him in the face. That's when Mikasa got involved, taking hold of Eren before he could hit Jean again while Marco held Jean back.

 

"Hey, the both of you, calm down", Marco ordered.

 

"Mikasa, let me go! He fucking deserves it for what he said!", Eren shouted as he tried to get out of the woman's hold.

 

"Yes, I agree that what Jean said was stupid and he deserved the hit but don't make a scene here. Someone might call the police and I doubt neither of you wish to spend Christmas in a cell", Mikasa said.

 

Eren struggled for a while more before sighing and giving up.

 

"I'll let Eren cool off a bit in private. You just go on. We'll catch up with you later", the woman said before leading Eren away from the group to sit down on some stairs, Armin following after them.

 

Eren felt like such a stupid brat again, reminded of when his mother always had to drag him away from the playground when he got into fights.

 

He sighed. "Sorry."

 

"No, he deserved it. He shouldn't have said that", Mikasa said.

 

"You don't believe what Jean said, do you?", Armin asked.

 

"Of course not! I know Levi is loyal to me and would never cheat on me", Eren said, trying to silence the small voice in the back of his head that said:  _ "is that really true, though?" _

 

He had already doubted Levi once for no reason and he still felt terrible about it. He wouldn't do it again, especially on Christmas. He wanted to spend a good time with his boyfriend without some nagging voice ruining it for them.

 

Speaking of Levi, he had something to tell Mikasa.

 

"Hey, this might come out of the blue but has your mother ever talked about her family?", the brunet asked.

 

Mikasa furrowed her brow but answered nonetheless. "She has sometimes. Why?"

 

"Has she said any names or wanting to meet them or something?", Eren continued.

 

"She has talked about her siblings, Kuchel and Kenny, very fondly but says she can't meet them for some reason. I haven't really inquired more about that", Mikasa said, still obviously confused. "Where is this coming from suddenly?"

 

"I- or I guess  _ we,  _ Levi and I, found out that your mother is his mother's sister apparently", Eren explained slowly.

 

Mikasa furrowed her brow. “Eren, I think Jean hit you too hard.”

 

“Do you think we should take him to the hospital just in case?”, Armin asked.

 

“No, it’s true!”, Eren insisted, glaring at his friends. “Levi’s mother’s name is Kuchel and she said that her sister’s name was Karin. It can’t be a coincidence!”

 

Mikasa’s eyes widened slightly as she realized that the brunet was serious. "His mother’s name really is Kuchel? Then that means that…"

 

"You're cousins, it seems."

 

Mikasa didn't seem too pleased with that information but didn't seem like she was shocked or something, just sulky.

 

"And Kuchel really would love to see her older sister again so we were wondering if that could happen? It doesn't seem like she hates Kuchel or Kenny or does she?", Eren asked.

 

"No, it always seemed like she missed them", Mikasa pondered. "But I will have to talk to mom about this. I can text or call you once we have talked it out. But I think I’ll wait until after the holidays. If it’s a sore spot for her, I don’t want to ruin her Christmas."

 

“Understandable”, the brunet said.

 

"But isn't it a bit weird though?", Armin asked as he noticed how the atmosphere was about to turn somber and awkward. "You two are like siblings and Eren’s dating your cousin. Would that make Levi his cousin too? Is Eren dating his own cousin?"

 

Mikasa shook her head with a chuckle while Eren looked at Armin in disgust.

 

“How could you say that?”, the brunet asked with an overly grossed out face that made the blond roll his eyes.

 

They soon made it back to the rest of their friends and the information about Eren dating Mikasa’s cousin came out at some point. However, it was all good in the end as they joked about it a little.

 

* * *

 

After hanging out with his friends, Eren went straight to the coffee shop to open it up for a few hours. Not that many people came by since most were with their families but a few lonely souls wandered in along with his regular elderly couple.

 

For the past two years he had gone to Armin's place afterwards with the blond but Armin already left to be with his grandfather as Eren was going to spend the rest of the day with Levi.

 

Eren wasn't surprised to smell beer in the air as he stepped into the apartment. Levi had said that they usually got drunk in the evening to celebrate Christmas but since Levi was spending the evening alone with Eren, it seems they decided to start "a bit" early. He just hoped the man wasn’t completely drunk. Although, he wouldn’t mind seeing that as he had yet to witness it.

 

He took off his shoes, jacket, scarf and hat before walking towards the living room area as he saw Levi sitting on the couch.

 

However, he froze once he got closer saw not only Levi but also Petra on the couch. They were sitting which wouldn't have been anything to worry about if it wasn't for the fact that Petra's head was on Levi's shoulder and the man's arm was thrown over the woman’s shoulders.

 

Jean's words from earlier came back to him and he didn't even hear Hanji as they came from the kitchen.

 

"Oh, Eren, you're back already!"

 

“Hm? Eren?”, Levi asked as he turned around on the couch to look at the brunet. He took in the stiff, wide-eyed look of the young man and realized what he and Petra looked like right then.

 

He quickly stood up and went to Eren but he didn’t dare to touch him in fear of rejection.

 

“Eren, I know what that looked like but I swear there’s nothing between me and Petra, okay?”, Levi assured, with a hint of panic in his voice.

 

Hanji was looking confused for a moment before they also realize how Levi and Petra must’ve looked like to Eren.

 

“Petra’s with Oluo”, the brunette said to help his friend out. “And neither of them would do anything to hurt the ones they love, okay? It just happened that Petra drank too much and ended up passing out against Levi.”

 

Eren wanted to believe what Levi and Hanji were saying. He knew Levi wouldn’t do anything to hurt him. An arm around someone’s shoulders wasn’t such a big deal and what Hanji said made sense. Petra just happened to pass out against Levi.

 

But Petra really was beautiful and strong. Unlike him. It would be no wonder if Levi chose her over him. Maybe he had been with her for a while? And Levi was just too kind to hurt him by telling him? Eren had been bit of a charity case for Levi since the beginning, hadn't he?

 

But Levi would never do that to him, though. He knew it. He knew that his thoughts were running wild again with stupid things which was why he was glad when Levi pulled him into his warm embrace. Neither of them noticed how Hanji went to wake Petra up before they left the room to give the couple some privacy.

 

“Eren, I mean it. I would never do anything to hurt you. I promised, didn’t I? That I wouldn’t let anyone hurt you ever again and that includes me too”, Levi reassured.

 

Eren knew that and now he felt terrible for a different reason. He couldn’t even look at Levi.

 

“Please, believe me”, the short man said, taking Eren’s silence as a sign that the brunet still doubted him.

 

"I'm such a horrible boyfriend. I doubted you for no reason again", he said, his voice teary as he still refused to look at Levi.

 

“No, you’re not. Anyone might have assumed the worst in that kind of situation”, the older man reassured as he cupped Eren’s face carefully so he could see the brunet’s face, tears slowly dripping down tanned cheeks. “Hey, please, don’t cry. Everything’s alright, okay?”

 

“But I feel guilty. I had no reason to doubt you.”

 

“Hey, it’s okay. It happens”, Levi said as he pressed their foreheads together, kissing the brunet briefly.

 

"Maybe it would be better if you just threw me out", Eren mumbled.

 

Levi stiffened before frowning. "Don't you dare say that", he said firmly.

 

"But I ruined Christmas", the brunet said.

 

"You haven't ruined anything.”.

 

"But-”

 

“No buts”, Levi said with finality. “Now how about we kick Hanji and Petra out and have a nice, warm bath?”

 

Eren smiled. “That sounds good.”

 

He still felt bad but at least Levi didn’t seem to mind the fact that his loyalty was doubted even for a second.

 

They said goodbye to Hanji and Petra before Eren went to put the Christmas ham in the oven while Levi got the bath ready. Once the bathtub was filled, they both undressed before sinking into the warm water, Eren sitting on Levi's lap with his arms around the short man's shoulders.

 

Levi was drawing soothing circles into tanned skin while pressing fluttering pecks everywhere on Eren's face, neck and shoulders as if apologizing for distressing the young man.

 

Eren sighed at the attention before cupping Levi's face and giving him a slow, sweet kiss as a thanks; for not being mad at him after what happened, for being so unbelievably understanding, for comforting him and for loving him and him alone.

 

"By the way, didn’t Erwin, Gunther, Eld and Oluo come too?", the brunet asked once they got out of the bath and were drying up.

 

"They did but Eld didn’t stay long because his girlfriend was waiting for him and Erwin took Oluo and Gunther home around half an hour before you came back since they all live close to each other", Levi explained.

 

"Oh, but why did Petra and Hanji stay longer?”, Eren asked as he started putting on his clothes.

 

“Petra lives in the same direction as Hanji so they decided that they would take the same taxi home and Hanji being the annoyance that they are, wanted to stay as long as they could which meant that until you came home”, the short man said with a sigh.

 

The brunet let out a soft chuckle. “Also, you don’t seem very drunk. You didn’t drink much?”

 

“No, of course not”, Levi said as he turned to Eren. “I wouldn’t want to ruin my first Christmas with my beautiful boyfriend by being drunk.”

 

Eren blushed and turned away from the other as he put on his shirt.

 

Once both of them were dressed, they went for the gifts that they had placed underneath their small tree. Among them were the gifts from Zeke and Levi's friends also and Eren then remembered that he hadn’t put the gifts from his friends underneath the tree as it hadn’t been the first thing on his mind when he came back home.

 

He went to get the bag that the presents were in and after they had all their gifts sorted out, they settled on the couch and began opening them, leaving the ones they got from each other last.

 

As expected, both of them had gotten some gag gifts from their friends. Levi was glaring at the bright pink dildo he got from Hanji, "guide to better sex life" book from Erwin and "public toilet survival kit" from Eld while Eren was laughing his ass off at a "fifty shades of chicken" cookbook that he got from Sasha and glow-in-the-dark condoms from Connie.

 

"Our friends are so supportive!", Eren said, trying to calm his laughter, tears falling from his eyes from too much laughing.

 

"I'm going to glue this dildo on Hanji's desk", Levi muttered, causing the brunet to laugh even more.

 

They opened the rest of their gifts, the others giving more practical and useful gifts, before it was time for them to open each other presents.

 

"You open first", Eren said, anxious to see if Levi would like what he got.

 

The short man hummed. He could guess one of the things in the package as he could feel that it was soft but there was also something harder inside that he couldn't quite identify. Well, he was going to find out soon enough. But first he took a look at the small card on top.

 

It simply said "Merry Christmas, Levi!" with a small heart drawn at the end but he couldn't help but smile at it.

 

He carefully unwrapped the nicely wrapped gift and he could almost feel Eren radiating anxiety next to him, waiting to see his reaction.

 

As he guessed, there was a colorful ugly Christmas sweater with a silly reindeer head in the middle.

 

"Of course", Levi said with amusement before he turned his attention to the other part of his gift.

 

It had been wrapped in newspapers so Levi guessed that it was fragile so he carefully removed the newspapers to find a coffee mug. He turned it around in his hands and smiled as he saw the text.

 

"Thank you. I love it", Levi answered honestly as he put the mug down on the coffee table before pulling Eren into a kiss, the brunet blushing slightly. "Now, your turn."

 

Eren nodded as he turned to the gift on his lap. The small card on top just said the usual "Merry Christmas, Eren" as expected. Neither of them needed to put some pretty words on a piece of cardboard. They could just say what they wanted to each other.

 

He unwrapped the present and let out a soft laugh. He had felt that the present had something soft in there but he hadn't expected that Levi would also get him an ugly Christmas sweater, this one with a cat's head in the middle and the text "Meowy Christmas" around it.

 

"I love it!", Eren laughed as he took off his current sweater to replace with the new one, grinning at Levi afterwards. "You better put yours on too now."

 

Levi just rolled his eyes with a small smile before he replaced his black sweater with the silly Christmassy one. "Happy?"

 

Eren hummed with a wide smile before he turned back to the gift as he noticed that there was still something else in there.

 

There were two books. Or a book and a notebook to be specific.

 

The book was about how to boost your self-esteem and confidence and Eren smiled as he flipped through the pages. It just showed how much Levi cared.

 

However, nothing could've made him happier at that moment than the notebook.

 

The cover had some simple but beautiful patterns on it with "Eren" written in the middle. He opened it curiously and reading just a few pages made him so incredibly happy and moved that he felt tears in his eyes.

 

Every page had a sentence, all handwritten by Levi and said things like "I’m beautiful", "I'm strong", "I make Levi incredibly happy" etc. He could see that Levi had put a lot of thought into this gift and he felt so loved. It made his earlier doubts seem even more stupid.

 

"Thank you", Eren said as he set the notebook down to wipe at his eyes as a few tears escaped his eyes. He really didn't deserve such a lovely boyfriend.

 

Levi smiled fondly at Eren before wrapping an arm around the brunet's shoulders and pressing a kiss onto his head.

 

After they were done with the gifts, they had their Christmas dinner. It wasn’t anything big since there were only two of them but there were some fish, a few different casseroles, roasted vegetables, potatoes and of course the Christmas ham with the wine that Levi got from his mother.

 

Speaking of mothers…

 

After they had eaten, they bundled up in their winter clothes and went outside, heading for the local church or more specifically the graveyard. Eren took a candle and a wreath to his mother’s grave every year on Christmas and had asked if Levi wanted to accompany him. Of course, he had said yes.

 

They arrived at the church and there were other people there, some visiting the church itself and others taking flowers to their lost loved ones.

 

Eren greeted some that he knew briefly but otherwise didn’t disturb them as he headed straight for his mother’s grave, Levi silently following after him.

 

Once he reached the familiar stone, he crouched down in front of it to place down the wreath and the candle.

 

“Hi, mom, I came to visit”, Eren said quietly. “It’s Christmas. Merry Christmas.”

 

Levi had on a sad smile as he watched Eren in front of his mother’s grave. He was so young when he lost her. Levi was an adult and he was afraid of the day that his own mother passed away. But who wouldn’t?

 

However, he couldn’t even imagine all the hardships and sorrow Eren has had to go through since losing his mother at such a young age. It really was no wonder that the brunet was depressed.

 

“Levi, do you want to light the candle?”, Eren asked, snapping him out of his thoughts.

 

He nodded before he crouched down next to the brunet and took the lighter that he was offered. He took the candle and lit it before setting it back down in front of the grave, the small flame reflecting on the gravestone.

 

It was the usual rectangular gravestone with two small bird statues on top of it and read “Carla Yeager” and her birth and death dates. She died two years ago in July.

 

They didn’t stay there for long as it was cold so they went back home soon enough but not before Levi said a silent “thank you” to Carla’s grave. Thank you for giving birth and raising a guy like Eren. For creating something so beautiful that gave Levi happiness and love every day of the week.

 

Once they got home, they decided to end the day by watching Christmas movies on the couch under a soft blanket. Eren fell asleep in the middle of the second movie but Levi didn't mind it at all. It had definitely been the best Christmas he had ever had.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading~ Comments and kudos are always greatly appreciated!

**Author's Note:**

> Comments and kudos are always much appreciated! I'd like to hear your thoughts and opinions!  
> Also for anyone interested, you can follow me on tumblr: siamesepolyporegoat.tumblr.com! I post a lot of Riren and Snk among other stuff!


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